Istón, I know
by Chloe3
Summary: Aragorn and Legolas take a hunting trip through Mirkwood, when they stumble across an ancient grudge that causes deep pain to Legolas. Why can he not hear Aragorn? Why does he not look him in the eye? And will Elrond be able to save him?
1. Something Amiss

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Title: Iston (I know)

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By: Chloe (the elvish, angst-loving, enthusiast.)

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Feedback: evenstar47@hotmail.com

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Rated: PG-13 (for *major* angst, and violence)

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Summery: Aragorn and Legolas take a hunting trip through Mirkwood, when they stumble across an ancient grudge that causes deep pain to Legolas. Why can he not hear Aragorn? Why does he not look him in the eye? And can Elrond heal *this* kind of illness? If they ever get to Rivendell…

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Spoilers: Nope! Don't think so…

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Disclaimers: Aragorn, Legolas, Mirkwood, and any other recognizable characters or places (and the songs "A Elbereth Githoniel" and "The old walking song") are J.R.R. Tolkien's *only*! I don't have permission to use them, but no one is paying me for this, so that's okay.

The language of Elvish, Sinderen, is Tokien's too. Also, you might want to note, that I am not super at translating it, and apologize for any mistranslations. I don't suppose it matters *that* much, but if you are looking for a Learning Elvish course, this isn't the place to start. ;)

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Disclaimer Notes: All of the events in this story are completely made-up. I couldn't find a way to incorporate them into Tolkien's world, so I did my best to write them as if they *could* have occurred, but no one would necessarily make note of them. I'm sorry if they don't line up well with the events of The Lord of the Rings, but I mostly wrote this for enjoyment, and never planned on making it *entirely* realistic.

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Dedication: To Sarah (the bookish, plausibility-mad, realist) for saying my writing was wonderful, and my plot was *not* completely and totally ridiculous…before you had even read it! You always make me feel good! : )

To Hannah-Shmallow-Siri-Elrohir etc. (the crazy, starry-eyed, visionary) for being a goof-ball for me when I got writers block. You always make me laugh! :D 

And to Cassia (the anonymous, torture-fic writer) and Siobhan (the mute, mush shadow) For coming up with the Mellon Chronicles, and making something great out of over-looked friendship. Thank you for inspiring me! :)

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Note: This story includes MAJOR angst. If you *really* don't like that, I suggest you not read this. If you like angst, like I do *evil grin* then you should enjoy this…at least, I hope you do! ;)

// marks are elvish translation

Example:

Iston

//I know//

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* marks are italics.

Istó n

(I know)

Chapter 1

Something Amiss

The trees moaned softly in protest to the light wind. The young grass ruffled with every breeze, and the air was cool and clear. All was peaceful. Quiet. Perfect. A clear stream curled around small hills of fresh flowers, grass and a generous amount of various other wild vegetation. 

The leaves of every tree had an orange tinge, due to the Mirkwood sun-set. It was a lovely one, dominated by red, but also tinted with a suggestion of orange. It was also tangled with wisps of yellow left over from the sunrise, and, as if on an after-thought, the tiniest idea of pink. 

The peace was broken only by a light foot that hit the new grass wrong. The small rustle that escaped the spot seemed to almost split the total silence. The figure looked up, wondering if anyone had heard it's misstep. No one. No one heard, for no one was there. He was completely alone. 

Ever so cautiously, and quietly, he leaned down to the quiet water. It looked so clear and inviting. He had been walking all day, and there wasn't a soul for miles around. Touching the water slightly, he felt the cool, pure liquid, and it seemed to almost flow through him. 

SHWOONT!

An arrow hit the ground not two meters away from his head. The creature's head shot up, and he whirled around. With expert light-footedness, he gracefully fled the stream, disappearing into the forest's secure depths. Silence again.

It was not silent long, for there was soon a very strange sound on the wind. A soft snort. Almost a chuckle.

"Don't say anything." Came a grouchy voice from among the trees surrounding the stream.

There was nothing for awhile, and then a voice heavy with controlled laughter murmured "You...missed."

A man stepped out from the trees, brushing his cloak of all the torn grass and leaves. "I said don't say anything! You never listen to me."

Another figure stepped from the other side of the clearing, also brushing some brambles and leaves from his long, golden hair. His face looked barley controlled, as he tried valiantly to avoid laughing.

The man crossed his arms over his chest, and glared at his companion. "I know it's just killing you, keeping that in, so go ahead."

The other merely laughed lightly and shook his head, almost satisfying the mirth inside. "Oh Strider. What in the world am I going to do with you?"

"Now then," Aragorn pointed a finger at his friend, "I *did* sneak up on him, did I not? Admit it, he didn't know I was there."

"It is true." Legolas nodded, smiling fondly at his momentarily cantankerous friend. "But you still need target practice."

Aragorn rolled his eyes. "Do not remind me of my *lack* of talent." He sighed, shrugging off some of the embarrassment of missing such an easy target. It would have been nice to have shot the stag, seeing it was his first try since they'd left Thranduil's halls to take this hunting exercise. He looked around at the towering Mirkwood trees, and in an obvious change of subject, murmured, "So, where are we off to now?"

"The camp." Legolas nodded, easily excepting the change.

"I should like to find something to eat before it gets dark though." Aragorn pointed out. "I would rather not starve as a result of this exercise."

"It's all right. My father equipped me with some extra food, just in case."

Aragorn's eyes snapped to Legolas'. They had journeyed a the entire day into the woods, carrying a few rations for the trip, but they had finished that before they started the hunt. 

"Why would he do that?" he asked incredulously. 

Legolas shrugged, trying to look indifferent. "Just in case." He repeated.

The ranger groaned. "Great. It is as if he does not trust me to shoot a simple meal." He looked at Legolas again, and seeing the mirthful glint in the elf's eyes, hastily raised a finger. "Don't you say a word, Legolas Greenleaf."

The elf prince bit his lip to keep the smile on his face from getting any bigger, and simply nodded. He didn't trust himself to say anything anyway.

And with that, they trudged off into the undergrowth of Mirkwood again.

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Legolas put the last of the fruit and meat into his horse's saddle-bag. He looked up at his friend across the fire. 

"If I had not missed, we'd be eating fresh venison tonight."

Legolas sighed. Aragorn had not gotten over his miss. "Oh lie down, and go to sleep, Strider." He smiled at the half-serious glare the ranger threw him as he curled up under his cape, and lay down.

"Silvan elf." Aragorn muttered.

"Stubborn Dùnadan." Legolas retorted. Aragorn couldn't help but smile as he closed his eyes, and let the fire light fade from his vision. "It's good to be together in solitude." He sighed groggily.

Legolas lay down under his cloak as well, and nodded towards his companion. "It is indeed, Aragorn. It is indeed."

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Legolas ran, but his feet weren't under him. He shoved branches out of his way, but they weren't there. He leapt over rocks, but he never left the ground. Hard as he tried, he couldn't run. Couldn't get away from the feeling. Something ice-cold ran down the back of his neck. His head was pounding, and a terrible mist filled his mind. He couldn't think. He couldn't see. He stumbled blindly through the forest that wasn't there, trying desperately to hide from the unseen cold.

"Us nin er!" he shouted to the dark shadows that were cast by nothing. "Us nin! Us nin!"

//leave me alone// //leave me! leave me!//

"Gwiil, Legolas! Ea na gwiil!"

//peace, legolas! be at peace!//

Legolas sat up suddenly, and Aragorn had to jerk back to avoid getting the elf's head in his face. The elf looked around like a frightened child. 

"Aragorn?" 

"I am here Legolas." Aragorn whispered, moving over the elf again.

"Aragorn." Legolas sighed, and looked up at Aragorn. He stumbled back, eyes wide with terror as he stared at the human. "Aragorn. No! Please!"

"Legolas." Aragorn's face was creased with worry. "What is it?"

Legolas sat panting, eyes closed as he tried to slow his labored breathing. As he did, he inhaled the Mirkwood air, and his mind seemed to clear some. The world around him still seemed foggy, but he continued to gulp in the fragrant air. He *could* breath.

The elf looked up at Aragorn again, and closed his eyes abruptly. "Strider," he whispered the personal nickname, trying to hold onto it. "please- please tell me that I am your friend."

Aragorn's face changed from worry to confusion. Something was very wrong with his friend. Legolas never asked for such a thing. He was not a proud elf, at least for a wood elf, but not a childish one either, and had not asked much of Aragorn before. But still, for whatever reason, Aragorn felt that Legolas really did need to hear it. He sighed. "I am your friend, Legolas."

"Please Strider."

Aragorn inched forward, and put a hand on Legolas' shoulder. "I am your friend Legolas."

"Strider, I know this sounds silly. I do not wish to worry you, but please. I *need* to hear it."

Aragorn looked intently down at the elf. What was wrong with him? He had said it twice now. Had Legolas gone deaf?

Perhaps he needed some true comfort. Aragorn didn't understand, but maybe…maybe he just didn't need to.

He wrapped his arms tightly around his friend's shoulders, and whispering softly, he spoke the words in the grey tongue.

"Eam layaa mellon, Legolas."

//I am your friend, legolas.//

Legolas sighed and relaxed in the man's embrace. "Thank you." He whispered in the same tongue. "Hantach."

Aragorn sat for a long ten minutes, with the elf still lying in his arms. "Legolas, you should get some rest." He murmured at length.

Legolas' eyes were still closed, and Aragorn hoped he was not sleeping. Not because he didn't wish to awake him as much as the fact that elves slept with their eyes closed only in deep pain or eternal sleep. 

He soon realized that he wasn't sleeping, but Aragorn could feel his friend shaking slightly, a sure sign that his body was tired. This too worried the ranger. Elves were almost never tired, and when they were, it was only from a serious lack of sleep. Legolas had been well-rested when they'd left Thranduil's halls just a day before. There was something wrong with the elf prince. Very wrong.

Legolas slowly looked up at Aragorn, but his eyes immediately snapped shut again. "You are right, my *friend*" Legolas emphasized the word, as if he didn't really believe it.

Aragorn shook his head in total confusion. "Legolas. Please, what is wrong?"

"I cannot know."

"What do you mean?"

"I just *cannot* know." Legolas repeated almost frustrated. Was Aragorn supposed to know what he was talking about?

"You mean you do not know what is wrong?"

"Yes. I know what is wrong." Legolas sighed. "I am so sorry Aragorn. I wish I could tell you."

"You can confide in me, Legolas. You always have."

"That is not what I mean." Legolas pulled an arm out from under Aragorn's grasp and put the hand softly on his shoulder. Aragorn noticed that the elf still didn't look him in the eye. "I do not-no - I *cannot* know what is wrong." He shook his head in frustration. "I have no understanding of what is wrong, but I know that it's not real."

"What?"

"You. What my eyes see in you."

Aragorn shook Legolas slightly. It seemed as if the elf gone insane. He was making absolutely no sense! "Legolas, I don't understand. What do you see in me?"

Again, Legolas shook his head. "A great many things, Strider. I do not wish to tell you. I- cannot know what I would tell you. I don't think I can explain."

"Try." Aragorn begged. He longed to know what was wrong with the prince, and was fully aware that he could not help him until he knew.

"I am sorry, Strider. I cannot."

Aragorn shook his head and sighed. "It's all right. Perhaps you will feel differently tomorrow. Perhaps you are only tired." It wasn't all right, and he doubted very much that it was only a lack of sleep that caused the normally sound elf to go uncharacteristically mad. But it made Aragorn feel better saying the insincere words, as if everything would be that easy.

"Really, Strider. I *am* sorry. I wish I could tell you, but-" Legolas shook his head in frustration.

"But I do not know myself. At least, not really."

"It is alright, my friend. You just need-"

"What else can I say? Shadows cloud my mind, and I cannot seem to explain what I know myself. Or what I might know."

It took most of Aragorn's self-control not to shake Legolas again. He was completely ignoring the ranger's words, like he had a few minutes ago. The elf was sick. Very sick. What could he do? Even his many years as a, itinerant ranger had not prepared him for this - whatever this was. 

He looked around at the dark, forbidding forest. It was too dangerous to try and take his confused friend anywhere very far. He realized with mounting frustration that he'd have to wait till morning.

"Baurach seere." 

//you need rest.//

Legolas nodded, and tried to rise, but his knees suddenly buckled, and with a groan, he sank to the ground again.

Aragorn put his arms around the elf's waist, and tenderly hoisted him to his feet. Walking ever so slowly, he supported the elf back to the fire-side. He gently laid him onto the ground, and covered him with his forest green cloak. "Rest, Legolas."

Legolas sighed, and rolled over under the cloak. Slowly, his eyes became unfocused, and Aragorn knew he was asleep. He was watching the elf closely, when suddenly, his friend stirred, jerking violently in his sleep, and his eyes snapped closed. 

Aragorn tried to shove away the discouragement of seeing his friend sleeping in pain, and returned to his cloak as well, lying down underneath it. But unlike his friend, sleep did not come to him. 

The pale eyes snapping shut at the sight of the ranger, the frightened look on his face when he awoke, the gasps of pain that escaped his perfectly healthy body... The memory of all of Legolas' strange behavior haunted Aragorn. Legolas wasn't sick: his body heat was normal, and his heart had beat at a steady rhythm as Aragorn held him. No, he was not bodily sick in the least. There was something else wrong. Something he couldn't discover. Something beyond the normal realm of possibilities…


	2. Lennathon

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Hey! Glad you're all enjoying this so far! : )

Sorry to disappoint you, Jane, but I have *no* intension of putting any SLASH whatsoever in this. I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings, but I really don't like that stuff.

Har har Siri. 'I'm not gonna read it' my eye! No really, nice to have you! Just don't touch my preciousssssss laptop! : )

Nope! This is long before the book (but I won't say when, because I couldn't figure out the dates) :D

Thanks, Aerin for mentioning it. Yes, it's true, elves don't technically 'sleep' but even Tolkien referred to their 'wanderings' as sleep, thought it's quite different. I have a Tolkien expert on my story! :D

Sorry to leave you all hanging! Hope this is better! : )

Chapter 2

Lennathon

It took nearly three hours for Aragorn to fall asleep, and even when he did, it was dark and troubled. Legolas somehow managed to be just around the corner every time his dreams took a turn for the better. The elf was always standing there, staring wide-eyed at Aragorn, and then closing his eyes tight, and running. Aragorn told him to come back, but Legolas did not listen. No, he *could* not listen...

The dreams - rather nightmares - were suddenly shattered by a shout.

"No! No! Let…let me…"

Aragorn leapt to his feet, and ran once again to Legolas' side. "Legolas. Legolas! Awake!"

Legolas' eyes stared wildly at the sky, as sleep slowly left him. He blinked. "No.' He whispered.

"Legolas." Aragorn whispered softly, brushing the elf's cheek with his knuckles. He was very disturbed to see that Legolas flinched at the touch, and attempted to sit. Gasping, he sank to the single-cloak bed again. 

"No!" he panted, terrified.

"Legolas! Please!"

Legolas closed his eyes, and breathed so slowly, it took a moment for Aragorn to see he was breathing at all. He opened his eyes, but did not look at the ranger over him.

"I must."

"You must what?" Aragorn asked urgently, trying to keep the impatience out of his voice. Legolas was speaking nonsense again, and Aragorn didn't think he could go through another insane conversation with him.

"You must what Legolas?" Aragorn repeated.

"I-" Legolas didn't look at Aragorn, but slowly reached his hand up, and touched the man's face. "I am sorry, my friend." He whispered. His voice still held a hint of fear, but his tone was also kind, and even slightly cheerful. "I must know."

Know. Legolas had been saying know, not no. It didn't make that much difference to Aragorn. This whole thing made little sense either way. 

"Know," Aragorn echoed. "Know what?"

"Anything." Legolas sighed, staring at the stars. "The stars. The- hope..." Legolas struggled in his own mind, battling against himself, looking for the answers.

Aragorn put his hand on the prince's, but when the elf stiffened, he took the gesture back.

"You know that I am your fr-"

"Every time." Legolas sighed. "Every time I have it, it slips before I can know it's there. Before I even know what it is."

"You are my friend-"

"You do not understand, but I am afraid that really neither do I. I wish I could explain it to you, Strider, and I will in time. Just be patient with me, will you?"

Aragorn was trying very hard to be patient, but the elf kept cutting him off! He knew he could hear him, but every once and awhile it was as if Legolas had momentarily gone completely deaf.

He tried again. "You are my friend, Legolas."

Silence. Had he gotten through this time?

Legolas sighed a long, sad sigh. "I wish the stars were out. That would help, I think."

Aragorn pushed aside the fact that he had once again ignored him, and turned to a new concern as he looked up. The dark sky was dappled with tiny jewels of stars shining down on them. He looked down at the young elf, and touched his forehead with the back of his hand. Legolas sucked his breath in sharply as if he'd been hit in the ribs. 

"Don't." He pleaded softly. "Please don't try."

"Try what?"

"To comfort me."

Aragorn drew his hand back, and leaned over the elf, looking at his eyes. They looked normal, and dilated properly as they stared up at the sky, but they were sad, and full of pain.

"Legolas," Aragorn murmured kindly. "The stars are out tonight."

Legolas swallowed a lump in his throat. "Of course." He nearly choked.

"Legolas-"

"Go to sleep, Strider. I think it is worse with you here."

The ranger nodded, and turned away as if he understood. But he did not return to bed. He instead, grabbed their saddle bags, and put them on their horses. Clasping his cloak back on, he turned to the shivering elf.

"Come."

Legolas, rolled over, and Aragorn's heart nearly shattered at sight of him. There were tears that, though the elf had been brave enough not to shed, were still there, clouding his pale blue vision. When Legolas looked at Aragorn, his eyes closed again, and the gathering tears flowed down his cheeks.

"Where?" He croaked.

"To Rivendell."

"Where?"

Aragorn squinted at his companion, and then shook his head in wonder. "Never mind. Elrond will take care of you."

"Elrond." Legolas let the word slip around in his mind. "Rivendell." Then he shook his head. "I remember them, but I- I do not know them. I suppose it is because Rivendell is a place of peace, and Elrond a joy-giver. A healer. I *cannot* know them."

"What do you mean you cannot *know* them?" Aragorn demanded desperately. It was almost as if his friend did this to be annoying. 

"Just what I said."

"Come Legolas." Aragorn saw the need to take him more then ever. Not only did he make no sense, but he thought he did. He knelt beside his friend, and lifted him to his feet. Legolas moaned at the gesture, but Aragorn had given up noticing. There was nothing bodily wrong with Legolas, and if it was only mental pain he felt, then Aragorn could cause no damage to the perfectly healthy body by raising him to his feet.

But not wanting to cause the elf intentional pain, the ranger walked slowly towards the horses. Aragorn noticed that Legolas hadn't flinched at his touch as he usually did. This puzzled him, but he was a little relieved. He hadn't realized till now how much it had hurt to see Legolas refusing his comfort. But the prince still wouldn't look at him.

Ever so carefully, he lifted Legolas onto his horse, and then climbed up behind him, steadying the elf as he went.

Once the two of them were on the horse, Aragorn grabbed the reins of Legolas' horse, and attached them to his saddle horn. He pulled Legolas' cloak tighter around the shivering elf. "It's going to be a bumpy ride." He warned, whispering softly in Legolas' ear.

His friend nodded, and tensed a bit. Aragorn saw no time to waste, and lean a little forward towards the horse. "Noro lim, Horthor!"

The horse tossed it's great head, and took off at a steady gallop through the dark woods, towing the other horse with him.

They rode for almost an hour before Legolas finally relaxed, and leaned against Aragorn's chest. His heart beat was steady, but his breathing rasped and hitched. Every once and awhile, Horthor would take a sharp turn to avoid a tree, and Legolas would jerk and moan.

Aragorn went stoically on. With one hand holding the reins, and the other clasped tightly around his friend's chest, he rode for two more hours. Finally, he felt the horses start to tire, and slowed to a canter, which eventually melted into a trot. 

He leaned over so he could see Legolas. The elf prince's eyes were half closed, and unfocused. He seemed to be in a limbo, hovering between sleep and waking. Unconsciousness and consciousness. Death and life. Which one it was, Aragorn didn't know. Somehow, he didn't want to know. He felt Legolas heartbeat against his own: they continued to beat in rhythm.

"Legolas do you hear me?" Aragorn murmured in the elf's ear.

Legolas' eyes didn't move. The only movement from him was his chest as it rose and fell. The wind picked up a lock of blond hair, fiddled with it, and then, as if it had grown bored, let the golden strand go, and it fell across the elf's face. Aragorn moved the strand of hair, his fingers barely brushing Legolas' cheek. But his friend flinched, and tried to move away.

What on Middle Earth was going on?

**********

A wind blew over the dead trees around them. It was neither cool nor warm. It was so hot - it was ice. So freezing cold, it burned like fire. The world spun around Legolas as he and Aragorn rode on through the forest. His heart pounded in his ears. He heard cruel voices, shouting. But they were familiar. And one was Aragorn's.

He looked desperately up at the sky again, but no stars shone; o moon lighted the dark forest of Mirkwood. A great nothingness of twisted, dead plants stretched out in front of him. Nothing. Dead.

"Know." He whispered, and his voice echoed on the cold, burning air. "I must know."

Suddenly, the horse slowed, and he felt someone was looking at him. He knew who it was. He couldn't bare to raise his eyes. "Legolas do you hear me?" A deep, angry voice growled. "Hear me! Hear me! Hear me!' it echoed through the elf's keen ears.

His hair blew in the wind, and danced across his face. As the voice continued to echo "Hear me! Hear me!" He felt a hard blow to the side of his face, and he tried to move away. "Hear me! Hear me!"

"Leave me!" Legolas shouted at the echoing words. "Leave me!"

**********

Aragorn looked down at his friend, in bewilderment. "Legolas, please!"

"Leave me." Legolas' voice went from a shout to a desperate whisper. "Please, leave me."

Aragorn looked up despairingly at the stars above him, and let a discouraged sigh escape his tired body. He allowed his tongue to slip into elvish in his desperation. 

"Legolas, umin isto man an koal."

//legolas, I do not know what to do.//

Legolas shook all over, not from the icy chill that licked his skin, but the impenetrable cold inside. The one Aragorn couldn't warm with a cloak.

"Umin isto man an koal." Aragorn repeated, his crestfallen words striking the elf deep.

//I do not know what to do.//

Legolas was silent a moment. Then, he pulled one of his arms free of the cloak around him, and placed his hand on Aragorn's knee behind him. His voice was a soft, familiar whisper, as he said 

"Lir anem."

//sing for me.//

Yet another simple request. But this time, it did not worry Aragorn. He was glad to do anything for his friend. He pulled Legolas against his chest again, and softly began to sing.

"Tulum an ilman

//Take me to the stars//

Nyarim lindeler

//Tell me of their song//

Enyaarem hanya lir

//That I may learn to sing//

Laitar narquelion 

//Their praise to fading sun//

Meralam ilqua harma

//I want not all these treasures//

Maralam uuva haran 

//I want not to be king//

Eram mere kana ilman

//I only want to see the stars//

Eram mere lir!

//I only want to sing!//

Legolas sank into the song. The total relief of the words, the sound of Aragorn's soft voice singing the grey tongue, the beautiful familiarity of it. He felt as though he'd never heard anything more beautiful in his life. It could not have been more magnificent if the stars themselves were singing.

As Aragorn felt Legolas relax again, immense joy washed over him. His arm tightened around his friend's chest again, as if to tell him he was safe, that he could truly rest now.

Legolas slowly did so, drifting off into a wonderful dreamless sleep. He felt as if he were sitting high in an old oak tree: it's branches reached up to the sky and tried to touch it. The whole world stretched for millions of miles beneath him, and the only sound in the world, was Aragorn's soft voice singing "Lennathon". I will sing.

Uuvam kena kalad morth

//I would see the light in darkness//

Uuvam baur laanad

//I would need not anything//

Eram uuva kena ilman

//If only I will see the stars//

Eram lennathon

//If only I will sing!//

Aragorn sung the whole song, and when he'd finished the last verse, it seemed as though the words still echoed on the night air.

He leaned over, and saw Legolas, his gaze fixed at nothing, staring into a blank wall of sleep. Aragorn could have laughed, so relieved was he to see Legolas sleeping with his eyes open.

When the ringing of the song stopped, Legolas' gaze started to focus, and he groaned as the familiar nightmares came to take him away.

This was not lost on Aragorn, and he was determined to let his friend sleep. Once again, the trees around them threw the words of the elvish tongue through their branches and out into the air. And as Aragorn sang, he felt Legolas sigh, and fall into sleep again.

A Elbereth Gilthoniel,  
//o elbereth star-kindler//  


silivren penna míriel  
//white glittering slants down sparkling like jewels//  


o menel aglar elenath!  
//from the firmament the glory of the star-host!//  


Na-chaered palan-díriel

//To-remote distance far-having gazed//

  
o galadhremmin ennorath,

//from the tree-tangled middle-lands,//

  
Fanuilos, le linnathon  
//fanuilos, to thee I will sing//  


nef aear, sí nef aearon!  
//on this side of ocean, here on this side of the great ocean! //

And on the elvish songs went until Aragorn could no longer sing and keep Hothor at a steady pace. But Legolas was safely into a deep sleep. Far from where the fear could reach him. Aragorn's efforts had been well worth it.


	3. Man of Anger, Elf of Despondency

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Hullo! Nice to see everyone's enjoying it…well, as much as anyone *can* enjoy Lego-angst. *evil grin*

Hehe. Yes, Cheysuli, I happen to enjoy insanity as well!….what is *wrong* with us? ;)

Now now, Artemisa, I'm not making him suffer *that* much…well *clears throat* uh yes, I am…but it could *always* be worse!….I think.

Hehe, and as for the "What's wrong with Legolas?" thing…very, very, *very* good question, you all, but…tow! Can't answer it. :D

Oh and no need to feel bashful, Shmallow. It was the *least* I could do. *sniff* I mean you dedicated yours to ME, I thought I'd return the favor….oh. Ya, and I also wanted to sugar you into reading it! :D Just kidding!

Well, enough with the bla bla, as Cassia would put it, and onto the story!

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For full disclaimers and story info, see Chapter 1.

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Chapter 3

Man of Anger, Elf of Despondency 

"Oh, Strider. Why do you not sleep on your own will? Why must you do so much for me?"

Aragorn awoke with a start, and saw Legolas framed in the sunlight blazing down on them. "Legolas!" He tried to shout, but his throat was so sore, it came out strangled, and hoarse.

"Sh, ea na gwiil, nin mellon." 

//sh, be at peace, my friend.//

Legolas whispered softly, and the words calmed Aragorn remarkably. The ranger looked around as best he could, for his limbs were stiff, and his movements limited. He was lying on the ground next to a long-since-dead fire, and looking across the dark ashes, he could see the horses standing beside the trees a ways away from him, looking rested and watered. He moved his fingers slowly, but there was no feeling in them. Sighing, he lay his dizzy head on the ground again. He must have been awhile longer without water than he thought, judging by the sudden nausea that swept over him. 

Legolas looked down at the human, and smiled, speaking in a humorous tone. "Your throat is dry as a year without rain. You didn't even stop long enough to drink from a flagon just next to you, you stubborn Dú nadan." His mirthful voice became a little more distant and serious, but nonetheless kind. "You sang all night to me." He murmured, running a hand over the ranger's rustic features. "Every time I slipped into the dark again, every time fear threatened my heart to the point of despair, I could hear you singing. You have no idea what that did for me." 

Aragorn only smiled. "I cannot sing as you." He managed to breath.

Legolas smiled. "True," the single moment of mirth was enough for Aragorn, and he smiled back at the elf's jest. "But it was enough." Legolas concluded, pulling his hand back again.

Aragorn suddenly noticed something about the elf he hadn't in his moment of surprise over his surroundings. "You look me in the eye again, Legolas."

"Yes," Legolas smiled sadly "It pains me deeply to do so, but not seeing you at all, I believe, is worse."

"Legolas please." Aragorn whispered. "I must know what-" he cut off in a highly painful coughing fit that wracked his whole body. 

"Don't speak now, my friend," Legolas reproved kindly, "you need water. I fear you have sung yourself hoarse."

"I fear you are right." Aragorn gave a wry smile "But I also believe you were worth it."

"Hantach."

//thank you//

Legolas stood up, grabbing a water flagon as he went, and began to walk towards the small trickle that ran past the campsite. Aragorn had not noticed the stream before, and then also saw that was where the horses stood. 

Legolas stopped mid-stride, and turned, "And I would do the same for you."

"Iston." Aragorn smiled.

//I know//

Legolas looked at Aragorn blankly. His eyes were wide, and their blue gaze seemed to look through Aragorn. The ranger stared back at his friend, familiar worry creeping up on him. 

Suddenly, Legolas tore his gaze from Aragorn, as if he had seen something he desperately wished he had not.

"Legolas-" But Aragorn was caught in another coughing fit.

"Your water." Legolas said, his eyes snapping back to Aragorn's again. "I will get it."

Aragorn could only nod for fear that he would cough if he tried to speak again. He watched his friend's back as his knelt to fill the flagon with water from the fresh stream. Legolas seamed to take more time than was needed to fill it, and Aragorn knew that he was thinking. What had he said wrong?

Legolas returned with the water after five minutes of kneeling beside the stream. He helped Aragorn sit up half-way, and gave him a drink. The water stung Aragorn's sore throat, and he couldn't help coughing again.

Legolas looked very disturbed. "I am sorry. Is it not clean?"

"No, it is clean, but I am afraid my throat has been without water long enough to become a stranger to it." Aragorn smiled dryly "And getting re-acquainted can be painful."

Legolas smiled again, and shook his head. "Do you rangers never stop talking?"

Aragorn made as if to reply, but Legolas shoved him the flagon again. "Never mind. Drink." He instructed, unable to hide his laughter behind the words.

Aragorn obeyed, and tried again to drink from the bottle. This time, it didn't hurt as much, and he managed to swallow without coughing. Eventually he survived finishing it.

Legolas shook the empty bottle, "I'll refill it."

"No, Legolas." Aragorn put his hand on the elf's knee to prevent him from arising to refill the bottle, and pushing himself further up on his elbows.

"You are dehydrated." Legolas reminded him.

"I've had enough to talk, and that is all I want right now, my friend. I need answers."

Legolas set the flagon on the ground, and moved the hand that had held it to his forehead, sighing. "Oh, Strider. Can't you see that *I* do not even know?"

"Yes," Aragorn nodded "I can see that you don't know what is causing this pain I see in you." Aragorn leaned forward, whispering to his friend in a familiar language that he could truly understand. 

"Ananta itoch in naeg. Lav-nin thank nach." 

//but you know the pain. let me share it with you.//

Legolas sighed, and finally raised his eyes to meet Aragorn's. "When I look at you…I see" he paused, taking a deep breath. "I see anger. Hatred. Resentment. I see you glaring at me. When you touch my skin, I feel you striking me." He shook his head in emphasis, "And I cannot hear your words of comfort."

"So when you look at me, you see that I- I am angry with you?"

"Yes."

Aragorn shook his head in disbelief. "But it is not so, Legolas. I don't look upon you in hatred."

"I...know." Legolas' voice was low, and distraught. Somehow Aragorn felt that he didn't know - that he merely hoped. Legolas shook his head ever so slowly, his blond hair swishing smoothly from side to side with the motion. "I cannot help what my eyes see. One who depends so greatly on their eyes cannot deny the truth they send. How can I disbelieve what they tell me? But somehow...I hope that it is not so."

Aragorn could not think of what to say. This new revelation was almost worse than when he'd just wondered what was wrong with his friend. But he had to be strong. For Legolas' sake. 

"What else?" He pressed.

"Strider, please." Legolas pleaded. "This hurts more than I can say. It is hard enough to bare this burden alone. I do not wish to relive it with you."

"But you are no longer bearing it alone." Aragorn promised. "Tulga-garo, Legolas." 

//take courage, legolas.//

Legolas looked away from the ranger to the stream. "I see no beauty," he continued. "I see a river of dark water, with dead, twisted trees all around it. I see fog, but not of humidity; it's like living in a dark cloud that will not break and send rain."

Aragorn looked with a worried eye from the fresh spring, to the tall blooming trees, to the cloudless summer sky, then back to his friend.

"And last night," Legolas choked, 'I- I could not..." Legolas shook his head vigorously, and arose, grabbing the water bottle. "I will fetch you some more water."

"Legolas." Aragorn leaned forward, and placed his hand on the elf's knee again, but Legolas was quicker, and already on his feet, walking towards the stream. Aragorn shook his head in frustration, and rose up after his companion. He ran to the elf's side, and stepped out in front of him, though his body screamed at him for doing so. 

"No, Legolas." He said stubbornly. "I cannot let you go alone like this."

"Aragorn,"

"No!" Aragorn repeated, placing his hand on the elf's shoulder. "I will not let you carry this burden alone. Please, Legolas." Aragorn pleaded, switching without knowing it to elvish again. 

"Mavron na annoch gwiil."

//I want to give you peace.//

"I could not see the stars." Legolas whispered. "I could not hear their song. And when I closed my eyes in sleep, I saw..." Legolas' breathing hitched in his throat, but he pressed on. "I saw my father, dead. I saw the woods of Mirkwood on fire - y people, my home, destroyed. But I felt that I was to blame. I knew that it was I who had destroyed them… and they despised me for it." Legolas' voice finally cracked, and Aragorn heard tears hidden behind his words. "My father would not look at me when he died. He died in my arms..." He shook his head, but refused to close his eyes, for fear that his tears would fall, "But he would not look at me. His last words were, 'You do not know what you have done.'" 

"But-" Aragorn managed to drag himself out of dead silence. "But it was only a dream. That you know."

"Yes. But my mind told me it was reality. And I've had the dream every time I try to close my eyes for peace." His tear-clouded gaze seemed to clear for a moment as one comfort hit him. "Except for last night. Last night, every time my father began to die, the vision faded away, and I was on a grassy hill, looking at the stars…as I listened to you sing."

"You are right." Aragorn whispered, laying his other hand on Legolas' shoulder. "I couldn't have imagined that it would do such a thing. And I am sorry that I forced you to relive your nightmares."

"It is well, my friend, that you did." Legolas sighed, the worst of the re-telling over. "And I thank you that you pressed me to do so."

"I will share this burden with you." Aragorn assured.

*********

Legolas saw Aragorn's lips move, twitching with a hidden sneer. A sneer that only Legolas could see through his lying eyes.

"I cannot hear you." Legolas told him softly.

*********

Aragorn remembered Legolas' words. "...I cannot hear your words of comfort."

"What can I do?" He whispered.

Legolas turned away, and stared into his nightmare world, saying nothing.

Aragorn shook his head, and let go of Legolas' shoulders. He paced a few feet away from the elf, and thought a moment. Yes, he knew what needed to be done. He turned to the horses, his decision made. Mounting Horoth, he grabbed Lint, Legolas' horse's, reigns.

"Come. We'd better head out for Rivendell again."

"Aragorn, I do not think that your father can heal this."

"And I do not think that you want to *walk* back to your home, for I am taking Lint with me. He has all the food in his saddle bags." The ranger smiled, and continued, turning the horses around "I supposed you could hop on, and join me." 

Aragorn's jest was not lost on Legolas, and the elven prince smiled, mounting his horse swiftly, and booting him into a canter. Aragorn followed suit, and soon the two friend were making their steady way towards the Misty Mountains.


	4. Lying Eyes

****

Hullo all! :D How is everyone? Good? Oh…well that's nice to hear. It just might make up for the…eh…not-so-great-time our pal Legolas is having. :D

Yes, Cheysulu, insanity can be good, but once we get around Legolas,…well, lets say it can get LEATHAL! ;)

Ecri…yes…yes that'd be nice, getting to Rivendell…see Dr. Elrond and all that…but ya know me, and even if you don't, you can probably *guess* I'm not going to tell you. I'm SORRY, but I can't, it's against…*rifles through ff.net's rule-book* I'm sure there is a rule that says "Writers are not permitted to give away the ending ahead of time" but oh well. :)

Hehe, yeppers, Siri. See, as you said, "Once you get him started, it takes Elrond to shut him up!" I loved that line. SO clever. ;) Oooh I draw people in with my writing? *blushes* gosh, Siri, I dunno what to say. 

Oh…yes I do. "Step into my parlor" said Shelob to the hobbit! Bwahaha! ;) No really, thanks for the thumbs up! :D

Ahh yes. And the ol' "Wassup with Legolas the crazy?" question. Ooo! Whish I could help you…well I can, but it's umm *holds up non-descript book* it's in the ff.net book of rules! I CAN'T tell you!…reeeeally! ;)

Okay, 'nuff, probably more than enough, said. Let the insanity begin!

**********

For full disclaimers and story info, see Chapter 1.

**********

Chapter 4

Lying Eyes

He didn't hurt. He did *not* hurt! Well, he did, but somehow he knew he didn't. Legolas leaned back slightly in the saddle, trying to will his muscles to stop throbbing. He had in no way injured himself, he was just fine!

He felt Lint slow noticeably. He couldn't meet the eye that looked down at him. "Are you in pain again?"

"Strider, I am fine. We shall never reach Rivendell if we continue this uneven pace. We have not the time to stop every time I feel pain."

"I will not force you to ride in agony, Legolas." Aragorn responded stubbornly. 

Legolas shook his head, and his golden hair tossed slightly. "I am not in agony. I have no pain."

"But then, what is it that troubles you?"

The elf seemed loathed to give yet another nonsense answer, but he knew his friend all too well. Aragorn would not give up until he had all the truth Legolas could tell.

"I feel pain, but it is not pain I feel."

Aragorn waited a moment, trying to decipher what exactly the elf was talking about.

"It is-" Legolas continued, seeing the confusion on his friend's face. "It is like when I see you. That is not what you really are, but my mind says it is. I am not in pain, but my mind says I am. It should cause me no harm to ride in pain."

"Perhaps it doesn't bodily harm you to ride," Aragorn looked intently over at the elf. "But it tortures me more than I can say, to see you in pain, real or no."

"Strider-" Legolas shook his head again, and Aragorn could tell he felt terrible, making Aragorn feel so. "Let us just continue on. I should rather be riding in the pain and getting somewhere, then sitting here going nowhere. I feel pain anywhere I am. Anything I do. Let us just continue."

Aragorn consented, reluctantly. "Hold on, my friend."

Whether Legolas could here the words of comfort or not, Aragorn didn't know. He simply booted his horse into a gallop again, and they continued their long journey.

*********

Aragorn slowed Horoth's pace, and looked around. He felt Legolas follow suit next to him. "It is getting dark. Shall we camp?"

Legolas nodded, unable to hide his artificial pain and fatigue anymore. 

Aragorn's eyes pierced the darkness around him, and finally, they lighted on a small indentation in the soft earth a little ways off. "How does that look to you, Legolas?" 

Legolas followed Aragorn's gaze. "Well, anything that is not a cave is fine in my eyes. Although, I doubt that what I see is accurate anyway."

Aragorn simply took that as a yes, and steered Horoth into the small clearing, Lint not far behind.

The ranger went about finding broken tree branches, and dead leaves to ignite a fire, while Legolas took the saddle bags of food from Lint, and watered the two horses from a tiny stream, that was really little more than a trickle, not far from their encampment. 

Aragorn returned to the spot, with an armload of wood. 

"Rest Legolas." He told the elf kindly. "I will start the fire."

Aragorn pulled a stone of flint from one of Horthor's saddle bags, and looked around for a good-sized rock.

"How far are we from Rivendell now?" Legolas sunk down to the ground, grateful to not be moving anymore. 

Aragorn didn't take his eyes off the rocks he started scratching them together over the dead leaves. "I would say about a few hour's hard ride from the Misty Mountains. I believe we are almost out of Mirkwood."

Silence a moment. Aragorn continued to scratch the rocks against each other, and finally got the hint of a spark.

"Aragorn, do you think your father will know what the problem is with me?"

"If he cannot," Aragorn responded confidently. "No one can. He has healed you before, Legolas, I do believe he can do it again."

"Yes, but this time there is nothing wrong with my body, and that is what he has healed in the past."

Scratch. A slightly larger spark this time. "He is our only hope. If he cannot help you…" Aragorn sighed, angry with himself for being cornered into an unpleasant answer. Even though Legolas knew it full well, he hated to spell it out. "If he cannot help you, I do not know what I shall do."

Legolas leaned back against the dirt wall behind him. "Neither do I." 

Scratch. A blue-wreathed spark touched and set flame to a few leaves. It was enough. Aragorn hastily put three pieces of wood, and some more leaves on. Soon, it was a substantial fire.

Aragorn leaned against the dirt as well, and stared across his handy-work. He watched sadly as the blurry figure of his friend closed his eyes and sighed. It was not a sigh of content, but exhaustion, worry, and perhaps sadness.

He stared a long time at the elf, watching as the smoke from the fire caused his pale image to swim and dance. "Hungry?" he asked quietly, barely audible over the crackling of the fire.

"No." Came the wistful reply. Legolas opened his eyes again, his blue-gray gaze hit Aragorn. "Oh, Strider."

"What?" Aragorn looked up from the fire.

"I believe this hurts you more than it does me."

The ranger nodded slowly, pressing his fingers to his eyes, released a sigh. He then understood the feeling that had caused his friend to do so a moment ago. "I hate seeing you like this." He almost whispered. "You have *never* been so-"

"Distant?" Legolas guessed.

"Vulnerable." 

Legolas nodded slowly. "I see."

"I- I'm sorry." Aragorn tried to amend. "I did not mean-"

"No, you are right." Legolas dropped his gaze to the inferno of flames, watching as they licked hungrily at the wood, and easily devoured the leaves. "Worry not, my friend. I am glad that you would be honest with me. I never thought of it that way, but it must be so discouraging to see one who has been strong before become weak. You depend on me at times, do you not?"

"Yes." He heard the other whisper.

Legolas nodded. "But now I depend on you, Aragorn. You are strong yourself, and more than that I depend on you because I trust you. Do not be afraid to lead."

"I am no leader. I have not your wisdom, nor your knowledge, nor your courage. I am not who you are and I cannot help you the way you have helped me so many times." Aragorn murmured bitterly.

"No, you cannot, that is so. But you are no worse, Aragorn, just different. You have helped me already: when you sang to me."

There was a long silence, and Aragorn tried to listen to the words of comfort. He had to admit it now; Legolas was being so open and honest, he had to respond in kind. "I am afraid, Legolas: afraid that I cannot save you, and I don't want to lose you."

"You will not lose me." Legolas assured. "Even if I were to pass on, I would still be somewhere with you. Friendship does not waver at a wind, and a friendship like ours burns forever. Forever like an endless candle. Keep the candle burning my friend, and have no fear."

Aragorn closed his eyes and nodded. As he did, he felt something damp slide down his cheeks. He hadn't even noticed that the tears had gathered in his eyes.

Legolas watched as the silver tears reflected the fire. 

Aragorn felt his eyes on him. "I still want you to stay with me, Legolas. Here. Right here."

Legolas' heart went out to the ranger sitting across from him. Suddenly, he realized that Aragorn no longer looked up at him in anger, but this almost hurt more to see him in sadness. 

"Urin nallon, nin mellon. En er estel." 

//do not cry, my friend. There is yet hope//

Aragorn sighed. "Iston." The ranger slowly looked up, and couldn't tell whether his friend was blurry because of the smoke that rose from his fire, or the tears that still haunted his vision. Then he realized that Legolas no longer looked at him, but held his head in his hands.

"Legolas?"

The elf continued to press his hands hard against his temples, then, sat up straight. "I am well."

Aragorn pinned him with look of disbelief. 

"I am well." Legolas repeated, with more confidence.

Aragorn stood up, and walked around the campfire. "No you are not."

"Strider, I cannot-" But Legolas stopped mid-sentence, as Aragorn knelt next to him, a flagon of water in one hand, a piece of lemba in the other. "You cannot be well until you have eaten and had some rest." he stood up and smiled. "Honestly, you elves think your immortality keeps you from starvation!"

Legolas smiled back, and though he still wasn't very hungry, ate the familiar food gratefully. Despite what the ranger said, Legolas thought, Aragorn was the perfect leader. Someday, he thought musingly, maybe Aragorn would see that as well. 

**********

Aragorn opened his eyes, and stared for awhile at the dark sky, speckled with stars. He felt such peace, such beauty. The stars seemed to sing ancient songs to his heart…Legolas could not see them, or hear them. Dear Legolas, what could he do?

Aragorn turned beneath his cloak again. He felt powerless to do anything, frightened by his friend's vulnerability, and his own.

Legolas. Suddenly Aragorn realized that the elf was not sleeping as he had at first thought. Legolas stared at that sky too, but there was no joy in his eyes. "I miss them." He mused quietly, making Aragorn jump. 

Although he knew that Legolas was awake, the sudden noise was strange on the night air. "Miss who?"

"The stars."

Aragorn nodded sadly. "You shall see them again."

"Can you see Eärendil?"

"Yes." He nodded, looking up at the familiar star of hope "It shines brightly this evening."

"Then there is hope for this night."

"Indeed." Aragorn responded, glad to hear optimism from the elf. 

"You were not named Estel in vain." Legolas smiled softly.

Aragorn was thoughtful a moment. "Legolas, at the campfire this evening, when I said ist-"

"Shh!" Legolas leapt out from under his cloak, and in a lightning motion, had his bow in his hand, and an arrow from his quiver, which had been sitting beside him, already notched. He crouched there a moment. Aragorn sat up straight, and pulled his sword a fraction out of it's sheath.

Silence.

Aragorn put away his frustration that Legolas breathed quieter than he, and stared into the darkness. Nothing…

"I thought I heard a creature in the woods." Legolas whispered. "Something hunts us."

Aragorn did not respond, and slowly sheathed his sword. "I hear nothing, Legolas."

Legolas was slower to draw the conclusion, but finally did, and put the bow and arrow aside. The fact that he didn't returned the arrow to it's quiver worried Aragorn. Legolas wasn't really convinced.

"Spiders?" Aragorn probed.

"No. Too big. And spiders would not stray this far from the dark center of Mirkwood." Legolas sat down on his cloak again, but continued to stare into the dark trees, searching them with his keen, elven eyes.

"Legolas," Aragorn spoke hesitantly, and pressed close to his friend. "Do you not think- well, is it not possible that maybe- maybe you heard nothing? That it was naught but your mind tricking you again?"

Legolas closed his eyes, and Aragorn could see he had struck him deep. "I- I am sorry my friend, I am wrong-"

"It is not you." Legolas sighed. "Strider, I do not know what I shall do. An elf grows to trust his eyes, ears and instincts. How can I accept that mine are incorrect? That they lie to me, though I have trusted them completely for so long?"

"Well," Aragorn sighed, and sat down next to the downcast elf. "It is in times like that, when we must trust our hearts instead. The heart does not lie."

"But I cannot see with my heart, my friend."

"Can you not?" Aragorn leaned forward and tried to look Legolas in the eye, but the elf turned away. "Legolas." Aragorn laid a hand on the prince's knee. "You cannot hear your friends' respect, see your father's love, or touch my friendship. It is true, one cannot breath without the mind. But you cannot truly live without the heart, and your heart, Legolas, does not lie to you."

Legolas was silent, but Aragorn could feel him relax slightly. The words had hit their target, and already the elf seemed to calm, and brighten, if only a little.

"And you do not need to see Eärendil to feel hope." Aragorn removed his hand, and stood to walk over to the dieing fire. 

"Estel-"

He turned around to the elf again. 

Legolas smiled. "Hantach."

//thank you//

"Ea na gwiil, Legolas."

//be at peace, legolas//

Legolas straitened again. "What is it that you-" he stopped, and whirled around, reaching for his bow and arrow.

Aragorn barely had time to realize what he was doing, before he felt something hard smack him over the back of his head. He seemed to swim in murky-gray mist. He reeled without moving, and all sound was dull. Then it cleared somewhat. When he could see straight again, he saw Legolas swinging his bow around, the arrow he'd originally notched still sitting in it. He swung the bow wildly, and couldn't seem to see what he was shooting at. Finally, he loosed the arrow, but it flew harmlessly into the dark woods. He couldn't see anything. 

Aragorn pushed himself to his knees, just to feel another hard blow to his head.

Legolas swung in circles over and over, his eyes wide with terror. 

"Khazâd ai-mênu!" Aragorn heard a rough voice shout.

The dark creatures launched their attack on the bewildered elf all at once. Unable to hold his own against all the dark shapes, Legolas sank under their weight, and one of them hastily snatched his bow.

Aragorn could not tell what was happening, though as his head swam in the murky mist again, he vaguely heard Legolas cry out. At the sound of this, the ranger made a valiant attempt to lift himself up again. The attempt earned him another blow on the head, and this time, the mist didn't clear.

****

Uuuhhh…*puts supposed 'book of ff.net rules' over head* Don't hurt me! ;)


	5. Tears in the Dark

****

Whoah! I hadn't expected so many people to show up! Thank you AAALLL for the fantastic reviews! :D

I know, I know, I left you at a HORRID spot, but really, I had to!…*shakes rule book* honest! ;)

And yes, Cheysuli, there IS a book. It's right- umm…oh. Thank you, Kellen. It's right here, see? According to the FanFiction.net Book of Rules, page 1,447, "Must post SOON after cliffie, so as not to cause undue…" wait…Kellen, you ear-marked this page, didn't you? *throws book* well, I'm SORRY! I'll post. I'm posting! *looks down the page* Yup! Right there. *sighs in relief* whew! No one can kill me…yet. ;) 

Thanks, Ecri! I like adding in obvious signs of their friendship, and just generally enjoy writing them as 'having moments' as your writing curriculum put it so well. I'm glad you enjoyed it! :)

Actually, Blue Jedi Hobbit 009, it looks to me like a lot of people have enjoyed your writing. Your most recent fics have had, on average, 50 60 or 70 reviews on them. And your first fic you ever posted here had 10, and it only had 1 chapter! Looks to me like you have very good writing style (and perhaps sometime I could explore it further? :) ) 

Na, see me, I want to write like Cassia one day…boy I wish! ;)

Speaken' of which…Hullo, Cassia! Nice to see you! Yeah, Hannah's been threatening me to tell you about my story. ;) It's nice to see you! And, WOW, I got Cassia to read and like my story! :P ;) 

Oh, but don't let this deter you from posting on Seventh Stone. No, no, no. If you're here to post, I really won't be hurt if you do THAT instead of read this post! ;) …course, even if you weren't on your way there, you're welcome to go do it now! :D Please? 

**Tam BreoSaight****; Hey! Yes, I'm actually quite aware that most of my Sindarin grammar is…well, off. I apologize for any mistranslations, but I did the best I could from all my elvish sources. Is there a particular way you have learned much about elvish grammar? Well, anyway, the whole point of doing elvish in the first place, was to simply make it more interesting than saying 'spoke in the grey tongue' every single time they spoke elvish, because they do it so much in this story.**

Hey! I translated Ah Elbereth Githoniel! Correctly, didn't I?…hoh ya. Well, okay, so that was already in the book. But hey! Can't blame a girl for trying, right? ;)

Also, Cheysuli, yes, I realize that Legolas could go back to his father, and heaven knows Thranduil was a LOT closer, but I think Aragorn understood how extremely dire the situation was, and knew that he couldn't waist time going back through Mirkwood, and made a break for Rivendell. Also, as he said a the campfire, 

"If he cannot," Aragorn responded confidently. "No one can. He has healed you before, Legolas, I do believe he can do it again."

****

I think this shows that he had an awful lot of faith in Elrond, and also knew that he was the only one wise enough to know what's wrong with Legolas. It's also possible that he *didn't* know how dire the situation was, and thought he'd have time to get to his father, since that was the better bet, all thing considered.

Plus, they couldn't go back to Thranduil, at any rate. Like-as-not, he'd be too blinded by his son's injury he'd just fret over it until it was too late, judging from what we know of him. Anyways, long explanation for a simple question. Really, it's up to you to decide which is more likely. :)

WELL, as I said, it's nice to see everybody! I'm thrilled that you're enjoying the story, and hope that this post isn't as bad as the last one! And no, KarateElf, don't worry, I have absolutely NO intention of making this Slash. *shivers* I don't like that stuff.

Anyways, onto the post! :)

**********

For full disclaimers and story info, see Chapter 1.

**********

Chapter 5

Tears in the Dark

Aragorn's head throbbed, but that was to be expected. Thoughts trickled through his mind, like a sluggish current, slowly piecing itself together.

He head hurt…because he'd been hit on the head. Twice- no…three times at least. Yes. They'd been attacked. They…Legolas! 

The sudden realization hit him even harder than the blow to his head. He opened his eyes, but there was no difference between that moment, and a moment before when they had been closed. It was black as the ashes of Mount Doom. 

Aragorn tried hard to focus his unwilling eyes, but the black remained. He tried to push his aching body up, but found that his hands were bound behind him. After awhile he managed to push himself onto his knees. He was surprised to find the ceiling just a few inches above his head. Where in the world were they? 

"Legolas?" Aragorn's voice sounded small and confined in the tiny, low-ceilinged room. "Legolas?" he repeated after hearing no answer. 

"Yes, Strider, I am here."

"I cannot see you." Aragorn tried to move towards the sound of his friend's voice.

"Nor I you." Came the soft reply.

"Where are we?"

"I know not." Aragorn continued to crawl towards the sound of the elf's voice. Finally, he hit something. The impact of suddenly hitting a large shape in the dark caused him to stumble, and slump forward.

"Easy, now." He felt Legolas shoulder against his, and the elf supported the human back to his knees.

Aragorn suddenly realized that Legolas was shaking.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, I am well." Legolas sighed, but Aragorn could here he was not. "I was a little roughed up, so to speak, by- by whatever it was that caught us."

"What did they do?"

"Not much. But I think I dislocated my shoulder again. I cannot feel my fingers."

"Though," Aragorn commented dryly, "that could be due to these creatures' knot-tying techniques. I cannot feel my fingers either."

"Here." He felt Legolas move up behind him. "If we sit back-to-back, we might be able to untie each other's hands.

Aragorn nodded, but of course Legolas didn't see it, so he added "Might as well give it a try."

The human knelt a little lower, and felt Legolas do the same. The elf's swift fingers moved around Aragorn's knots, and he tried to force his numb fingers to do the same.

The knots were indeed tight, but as Aragorn worked his fingers slowly grew a little more feeling. Legolas was obviously making more progress than the human.

As the feeling began to come back, Aragorn realized that the knots he worked at were wet and sticky. Whether it was his blood or Legolas', he didn't know, and didn't quite want to. 

Finally, he felt the ropes around his wrists relax, and then fall away. "I'm almost done with yours." He assured Legolas, and turned around to face the knots, though he could not see them. 

His hands hurt badly as the feeling returned fully to them, but worked doggedly on. He soon realized why it was taking so long. There were three thick ropes tied around the elf's wrists. 

"What cause have they to be so frightened of elves?" 

Legolas groaned. "I know not. It seems that most have one cause or another; it is almost always some form of superstition, though."

"Well, it will make it a little harder to untie you, I am afraid."

"It is of no matter, Aragorn. Take the time you need. Even were I in a hurry, I would have no where to go."

Aragorn had to agree with that, and gave a half smile despite himself.

At long last, the second rope was untied. Aragorn felt his friend tense every time the human's fingers touched Legolas' hurting hands.

"Does it hurt that much, Legolas?" He inquired worriedly,

"It is not your fault." Legolas sighed. "But when you touch me, well-"

"You feel me striking you." Aragorn quoted from their conversation awhile back.

"I don't suppose that you have checked to see if any of our weapons were *not* confiscated." Legolas queried, in an obvious change of subject. 

"Yes," Aragorn clearly accepted it.

"And?"

"Alas, no." The other sighed.

"Hm." Legolas mused. "It is indeed a disappointment, but I must confess, an expected one."

Aragorn smiled in the darkness, and felt the last rope finally give way. "There!" He said, satisfied. "You are free."

Legolas sucked in his breath, and felt the raw wrists. "Indeed." He responded ruefully.

Aragorn stood, and forgetting the low ceiling, made hard contacted with it. Sprinkles of dirt fell down on his face, and he sank to the floor again.

"Strider, are you alright?" Legolas' surprised voice came through the dark.

"Yes, I am well." Aragorn rubbed his head, and looked up at the darkness that was the ceiling. "This is a dirt ceiling." He said thoughtfully.

Legolas reached up and touched the canopy of earth. "You are right." He felt along it, and realized that it was very damp. "Feel along the walls - there must be a door somewhere."

Aragorn crawled until he felt the wall. It too was dirt and he trailed along it, searching for a crack that might be a doorway of some sort. Suddenly, he felt something strange, and it took him a moment to realize what it was.

"Sorry Legolas. Did you find anything?"

"No, and I very much doubt that my sleeve will get us out of here."

Aragorn grinned at the amused voice, and let go of his friends sleeve. "How is it possible that there is no door?"

"I would think there is one somewhere. Unless…" Legolas' voice trailed off.

"Unless they're trying to bury us alive." Aragorn finished grimly. "But why would there be so much room, if they were actually burying us, why would the bother making it more of a room than a hole? I suppose that it is likely they wanted us to live awhile before suffocating or staving. But what kind of creature would attack our camp, simply to bury us alive? Wait…" He turned, suddenly thinking of something. "Legolas, did you not see these creatures when they fought you?"

"No." Legolas was curt, and more than a little troubled as he answered.

"How could you not?" Aragorn didn't want to push his friend again, but he was dieing to help the elf in any way, and the first sound of distress was nagging.

"I *saw* them - their form, their being - but I did not see *them*. I know that."

"What do you mean?"

"I saw what my eyes didn't, or rather I felt it, but the feeling may not be real, as well as the sight I know must not be real. Or maybe it is all untrue. I knew that they were there, but my eyes saw nightmares they were not. But perhaps they were. Perhaps- oh, perhaps nothing is real! Perhaps it all is in vain to believe that I could discern truth!" Legolas broke off angrily, and brokenly.

Aragorn could hear the distress and anger, but could not hold back his impatience any longer. 

"Legolas, you make no sense to me! Do you not think I wish to help you? Do you not believe that I would assist you in any way I could? But you make it impossible! How can I help you when you never truly talk to me? You talk into your dream, but not to my face! Legolas, I want to- let me…" 

Aragorn could not force himself to go on. He could feel tears of frustration fill his eyes, and was suddenly glad for the darkness.

But Legolas didn't need to see the tears to know them to be there. He heard the human's breath shake, and could feel him move away a little.

"Aragorn." He murmured softly. "I am so sorry my friend. I do believe you wish to help me, and I do thank you for it. I am- I am sorry that I cannot explain my distress in words you can know, and understand. I do not wish to confuse you."

Aragorn managed to get a hold of himself, and hastily wiped the tears from his dirty face. He was about to respond, but Legolas sighed, and continued, "And I am greatly sorry that I have given you such grief. That I grew angry. It is only I miss reason. My world contains no reason anymore."

Aragorn steadied his shaky breathing, and quietly answered. "It is well that I know of your sorrows, Legolas. I am sorry that I ask for them, and grow angry at their answers." Aragorn allowed his tongue to slip into grey words. "Eressem mavros na buioch." 

//I only want to help you.//

"You have, Aragorn, and I thank you for it." the elf's voice became so quiet, it was barely audible to Aragorn's human ears. "I am not used to being vulnerable."

Aragorn sat back on his heals "So how do we get out, if there is no door?"

"Well," Legolas began, accepting the change of subject gratefully. "I supposed the obvious answer is dig."

"True, but it will be difficult to dig upwards, which is likely the only way."

Aragorn heard rather than saw the other shrug. "I do not see that we have much choice."

The two of them, with nothing but their hands as tools, began to dig into the ceiling. They soon found that it was a little too easy to dig through the earth. It was fairly loose, and every time they removed a clump of it, a whole section fell down.

Soon the friends were kneeling in knee-deep dirt all around them. "This is of no use." Aragorn sighed, leaning against the dirt wall. "Perhaps we should-"

"Wait!" Legolas cut him off. "I feel something…it's…wood?" Aragorn crawled towards the sound of the elf's voice. It wasn't easy, for due to the deep dirt on the floor, the ranger had to practically swim to his friend's side.

"Wood?" He repeated, once beside Legolas.

"It is rough, but flat." Legolas reached into the dark for Aragorn's hand. "Feel-" he began, as he touched the hand, and began to direct it to the strange wood. Suddenly, he jerked back, and cringed. As he did, he lost what footing he'd had in the knee-deep earth, and fell back into the opposite wall. His head made hard contact with the dark wall, and he tried to reel away, only to fall over into the veritable pool of dirt.

Aragorn saw not of this, but felt his friend recoil, and heard the dull thud of him hitting the dirt wall. "Legolas?!" He called "Are you alright?"

Silence. 

Aragorn waded through the fallen ceiling as fast as he could, and finally felt Legolas' fine hair strewn over the damp earth. "Legolas?" He moved his hands around, and felt the elf's head, pointed ear, neck, shoulders…

"Legolas, can you hear me?" his dirty fingers brushed Legolas' smooth face. As they glided down from his forehead, and down his nose, he felt his eyelids. His eyes were closed, and Elves, Aragorn realized with a shudder, only close their eyes in unconsciousness or…death. 

Swallowing panic, his hands went shakily to the elf's chest. It was slow but he could feel a his chest rise and fall, and after awhile, a weak heart beat. 

"Thank you, my friend." He sighed, feeling very relieved but also suddenly lonely in the dark by himself. He sat down beside the unconscious prince, and laid his hands on his chest. He relaxed as it rose and fell. Rose and fell. In and out. Up and down. And slowly, he did not feel as lonely.

But the silence was deafening. It rang in his ears, and every grain of dirt that fell from the ceiling sounded as a crack of thunder.

Quietly, and then, slowly louder, Aragorn sang again.

"Uuvam kena kalad morth 

//I would see the light in darkness//

Uuvam baur laanad

//I would need not anything//

Eram uuva kena ilman

//If only I will see the stars//

Eram lennathon"

//If only I will sing!//

Suddenly, the ceiling shook, and a loud pounding ensued. Aragorn drew closer to Legolas, putting his body between him and whatever it was hammering above them. 

He barely had a moment to think before a trap door opened in the ceiling just a foot away from where he and Legolas sat, and a torch was pointed into the dark hole. A low bellowing voice seemed to almost shake the room.

"You had better not be dead yet!"


	6. The Light of Estel

****

WOW! I am *totally* blushing here, you guys! It's SO cool that everyone's enjoying this! I had no idea anyone would find it so interesting. :)

Yeah, Cheysuli, Mirkwood Elves are a PAIN. If you've ever read Cassia and Siobhan's Mellon Chronicles, you'll know why I don't like Thranduil in particular! :P

Hey Ruth! Yes, I know what you mean about slash. I've run into a lot of that on here, and though you're also right that it's really a matter of, as you put it, "whatever rings your bell", it certainly doesn't ring mine…so, in other words, I don't blame you one bit for not enjoying slash. Welcome to the club! ;)

WHO-K! Slow down, Siri! Yes, they're rotten, they're nasty, they're a pain, they're making Aragorn's job harder, but they're plot devices, don't kill 'um off yet! ;) *blushes* good descriptions? Reeeally? Well, sanks, Siri! :D

Yes, Golden Days, I think you would be quite correct in assuming that these guys aren't exactly the brightest lights in the harbor. But hey! They're bad guys! So, we'll give 'um a brake…for now. ;) Dah! *smacks head* Chloe, don't divulge information! *BAM BAM!*…hehe…sorry. ;)

Oooh I was wondering if you'd show up, Lina! Nice to see you! Even though you're just here to stick up for your "babies" it's nice of you to come! :D Don't worry. *pats Aragorn and Legolas on the head* I'll take gooooood care of them. I mean look what a great job I've done so far!…uuuuh…oh forget it. ;)

And Halo…gee…umm…yes. Calm down, and maybe-okay, I guess I'll just be um *clears throat* posting. ;)

The Armadillo of Death, hey! Yeah, I did that once with my sisters' story, Death or Despair. I missed the last three chapters as they came through, but I got to read them without worrying about cliffies! At least, I had to worry about them for the two minutes it took to open the next chapter! ;) And I'm kinda glad you weren't here on chapter four to post…one less dagger to dodge! :P ;)

Why Sarah! How nice to see you. I'd begun to think you'd forgotten *sniff* little-Lego-look-alike-me! ;) And how dare you? I don't want anything in return for dedicating this to you!…oh…oh, well, maybe except for…umm…*clears throat* your Lord of the Rings visual companion- BUT! I'm not going to ask for it! That comment on Obi-Brat struck it's mark, you meany. That's blackmail, you rude little tomato stem! Hehe, tell Rita she's a bad affect on me, by the slim chance I could get any worse! ;) 

Salysha…wow…I had absolutely NO idea anyone would like it this much! I'm very glad you're enjoying it so much! Yes, I have every intension of sticking to my non-slash policy, PERMINANTLY. I like Aragorn and Legolas they way they *really* are, and somehow, I feel slash tarnishes two of the most wonderful, in-depth, honorable characters Tolkien wrote. It's a shame that people insist on doing those kind of stories anyway. No, I just assume continue writing them as the very best of friends, thank you.

And thank you very much for putting my story on your favorites list! Though, I must say, I never considered my writing as stylish. I'm extremely flattered, Salysha! :)

As for whether we'll see from Legolas' point of view again…hehe…read on! ;)

Off we go! On and on! Rivendell or bust! ONTO THE STORY!

(too much caffeine for this early in the morning.)

**********

For full disclaimers and story info, see Chapter 1.

**********

Chapter 6

The Light of Estel

Aragorn was completely blinded by the torch's light, after being in total darkness for so long, and could only squint into the fire. It was impossible to determine the face of whatever it was, but he could decipher a vague shadow of it's form. And if he wasn't mistaken, it was a dwarf that now stood in their prison.

The dwarf swung it's torch towards Aragorn, and snarled. "You've been trying to dig yourself out, I see." He scuffed his boots in the knee-deep dirt. "Well, I think then that you know there's no way out but the door. You probably couldn't get it open, though. 'tis designed to keep creatures in. Any creatures." He stuck out his great chest with pride.

"I must confess," Aragorn responded flatly "we did not find the door."

The dwarf looked momentarily annoyed, and then covered it up with "Well, that is to be expected of a human and an elf. Neither are of a very intelligent lineage."

Aragorn would have liked to give the smirking creature some of his opinions on dwarves, but just then, roughly six more dwarves climbed down through the trap door and into the prison-pit. All were short enough to stand almost straight in the low prison. All but one.

"Well, Gulrin, we haven't all day! Bodruith is not a patient person!" The largest dwarf stepped forward, addressing the first one.

"Yes, yes." Gulrin said impatiently, setting the torch onto the dirt floor, and brandishing his axe. "Grab the human. I think that the elf is still unconscious."

Three of the dwarves stepped forward, each holding a rope. Aragorn would not have any of it. Pushing himself up as far as he could go, he kicked one of the dwarves in the stomach, whirled, and hit another in the shoulder with his fist.

The rest of the dwarves now became riled, and attacked the ranger. Aragorn easily knocked two of them out of his way with the side of the axe he'd taken from one of the first. This made the de-axed dwarf very angry, and he flew at the tall human. Tall though he was, Aragorn easily ducked the assault, and the axe-less dwarf flew into the dirt wall instead.

The dwarf called Gulrin swung his own axe at him, but Aragorn dropped onto the soft, dirt floor, and the weapon's weight carried Gulrin half-way across the pit.

"Drop it, human!" the big dwarf who'd been talking to Gulrin a moment ago bellowed. Aragorn whirled, and saw the dwarf standing over Legolas, his sharp axe dangerously close to the prince's neck. "Drop the axe!" He repeated. 

Aragorn couldn't help but obey. Never once taking his eyes off Legolas, he pushed himself out of the dirt, and dropped the axe in front of him.

"Now, sit down."

Aragorn stared at the dwarf hesitantly. "Do it!' He shouted, letting the axe fall enough to cut the skin on Legolas' neck.

Aragorn quickly dropped into the loose earth once more, and felt two dwarves run up behind him, and tightly bind his hands behind his back again. Not willing to take chances, they used three ropes on him like they had on Legolas.

Satisfied, the big dwarf put his axe aside, and nodded to two other dwarves.

Aragorn watched miserably as they tied his unconscious friend's hands behind his back, and hauled him limply to his knees.

"What do we do with him, Binwen?" another larger dwarf moaned. "I'm not looking forward to dragging him all the way to the great hall."

"Well, that's what we plan to do, Dreago. And if I were you, I would not start to moaning about it."

Binwen, and Dreago grabbed Legolas by his arms, and dragged him to the trap-door opening. He was then hoisted up, and pulled out by some dwarves apparently waiting by the door.

Aragorn felt the pole of an axe against his back, and stood half-way up. He made his way to the door, and felt the dwarves pulling him up as well. They were not gentle, and Aragorn was practically wrenched out of the pit, and thrown onto the ground outside of it.

Aragorn was surprised and more than a little dismayed to find he still looked up at dirt. "Where are we?" he asked wearily.

One of the dwarves turned to him and sneered. "About five hundred feet under the ground of Mirkwood."

"Five hundred?" Aragorn repeated feebly, dread filling the words. 

"Shut up human." Binwen snapped, pulling himself out the hole, and closing the trap-door behind him. 

Aragorn sat up half-way, and looked around. They were in a huge tunnel, almost twice his height. All dirt and rocks. Everywhere.

"How can you possibly breath all the way down h-" The breath went out of his lungs as Binwen gave him an impatient kick in the stomach. 

"You won't ever find out, if you don't quit whimpering!" He shouted angrily. "As if it isn't bad enough that I have to drag this stupid elf the whole way." He made as if to kick Legolas as well, but Aragorn rolled over, and knelt protectively over the prince.

"Out of my way, human." He threatened darkly.

"No." came the defiant answer.

Binwen aimed two more kicks at Aragorn, one in the stomach, and then another in the back when the ranger fell over from the impact of the first. But Aragorn managed to rally himself, and moved over Legolas again. 

"So, you want to learn the hard way, eh?" the other grinned evilly.

"Binwen." Gulrin walked in front of the angry dwarf. "Cut it out. We don't have time for your temper!"

Binwen growled at the other, but consented, and nodded at two other dwarves. The dwarves ran to Aragorn, and tied a length of rope to his bound hands like a leash.

"Get moving." One growled impatiently. Aragorn worked his way to his feet, and began walking down the long tunnel. He chanced a look over his shoulder, and caught Binwen and Dreago grab Legolas by his arms, and begin to drag him down the tunnel after Aragorn.

Aragorn felt a sharp pain in his back, as the impatient dwarf smacked him with the pole of his axe. "Would you hurry up? It's not exactly fun dragging you along, and we have a good ten miles to the great hall!"

Aragorn's mouth went dry. "Ten miles?" He glanced over his shoulder again, to see his friend being dragged along the hard ground. Ten miles…

Aragorn felt the axe again. "Hurry up!"

**********

Aragorn tripped on an ill-placed rock, and fell onto his knees. He stifled a cry, as the expected boot caught him in the chest. "Get up, you clumsy human!"  


It was not easy for Aragorn to get to his feet with his hands bound, but the dwarf obviously didn't care.

It had been four of the longest hours of his life, running through the tunnels, turning down this one, and that one, all the while with four dwarves ahead, and six behind the human and elf. Every once and awhile, he'd hear a loud crack, and then Binwen and Dreago arguing about which one kept smacking "the elf" against everything. Aragorn couldn't bare to look behind him at his friend. He didn't want to know how he looked after all that.

Every time Aragorn tripped, or fell, or even slowed the pace, he earned a kick in the chest, and even more threats about what they'd do to Legolas.

Legolas, Aragorn knew, could not take much more. As it was, he was weak, and the constant abuse was not giving his body a chance go heal, nor his mind any opportunity of waking up.

Lost in anguish for his friend, Aragorn was not paying attention, and slipped again. He twisted to the side, and used his shoulder to catch himself on the tunnel wall. Standing slouched against the dirt, he braced himself for another blow.

"We'll rest here. 'tis almost night." Gulrin's gruff voice came. Aragorn looked up at the tunnel's dirt ceiling, and wondered vaguely how Gulrin knew the time of day.

"Human, get over here!" Binwen snapped. Aragorn took one step towards the dwarf, and collapsed. "Get up!" he shouted.

"You can hit me all you like." Aragorn responded softly "but I do not think it will give me the strength to rise."

Binwen growled, but could not ignore reason. "Tie him up." He snapped to Gulrin, in a 'so there' tone.

Gulrin took the rope attached to Aragorn's hands, and tied it to his ankles, depriving him of walking. Of course, Aragorn thought grimly, he would not have had the strength to walk anyway.

The ranger had no idea what was happening to Legolas. He couldn't seem to maneuver around to look, but it sounded like they were tying the elf up a few feet behind Aragorn. Why? Thought the distressed human. Why were they so frightened of elves? Legolas was unconscious for goodness sake! And thanks to them, would be for awhile. He sighed, and let his head rest against the tunnel wall. It would be a long night. 

**********

He ran as fast as he could, though nothing perused him. He reached the hill. *That* hill. He dared not cross it, but his legs forced him to. He knew what he would see over it.

As he reached it's top, everything turned red. Fire rose from the already-dead trees. Indeed, he knew he would find this, but every time it was more real, more painful than the last.

Once again, his legs carried him towards the smoking woods. All dead. All gone. He ran to the stone halls, and they crumbled when he touched them. "No!" he shouted, but no words came out.

Then, the very worst, he knew, had to occur. He ran to the familiar bedroom, and knelt beside the bed, lifting his father into his arms. "No, no!" the words were not indeed words, but essence. The sound of regret echoed in the silent room.

"Father!" he tried to say, but could only convey the word through his tearful eyes.

His father would not look at him. He turned away, staring into the burnt trees of Mirkwood.

"Father, please." he felt tears slip down his cheeks, and touch his father's robes. As they hit, they spread into an ugly blood-stain.

"Father!" He cried through his tears.

Then, the king closed his eyes. "You do not know what you have done." his words were the only ones that could be spoken in the dark room, lit red from the fires outside. The breath went from the old elf, and his son could almost hear his spirit escaping the room.

"Father no!" He tried to shout, but could only cry more tears. A silent whisper insisted "You've killed him! Your people! Your weakness has killed them all!"

"No. No." he tried to argue, but the tears came too quickly, and landed again and again on his father, spreading into huge stains.

He turned away, though he could still see his father, as though he were imprinted on his eyes. He had no one else to turn to. Nothing else to try and say.

He shouted as loud as he could, but it only came as a whisper. "Estel!"

**********

Aragorn jerked out of his troubled sleep. He could not, and did not want to remember what he'd been dreaming. But something had woken him up. What was it?

"Estel…" The whisper was barely audible, but he recognized it.

"Legolas?" no response. And then,

"Estel?"

"Legolas! Are you awake?"

"Estel." The elf seemed to hold onto the name like a life-line. Aragorn tried to turn around, but even if he could, he would not have been able to see the elf in the complete darkness.

"Help…me."

"How, Legolas? How?"

Silence.

"Estel. Estel…" His breath quickened, and he seemed to breath unevenly. He was somewhere between sleep, and restlessness. Lost in a dream.

Aragorn's mind raced, longing to help his friend. He could not touch him, or aid him. But Legolas could hear him. "Ea na gwiil, Legolas. Estel uuye morn na naeg" 

//be at peace, legolas. Hope is not darkened by pain.//

"Stop your whisperings, human, or your friend won't ever see the light of day!" Benwin was obviously not in the mood to be tolerant, and it appeared he didn't sleep either.

In the silence that followed, Aragorn vaguely heard Legolas whisper his name one last time, but this time, it was not in fear, it was in peace. Somehow, he knew that the grey words had calmed his friend's restless dream.

**********

Legolas called his name again, but there was no response, and the elf began to wonder if he was really calling, or if his mind just played tricks on him again, telling him he spoke, when he did not.

Finally, he heard a distant, but familiar voice. "Legolas?"

"Estel?" He responded as best he could, though since he did not shout, he could only convey the words through the expectation in his eyes - hope that it was indeed his friend.

A whisper answered his call, but Legolas could not hear words. He turned, and stared out the bedroom window where a light began to glow. It got brighter, and brighter, till it filled the room. It covered the red glow from the fires, and instead filled it to the brim with the purest light. The light of Eärendil. Star of hope. But it was more than the star. It was indeed his friend, his own beloved hope.

"Estel." He whispered again, and the light of Eärendil sent the name flying about the room, and it echoed off the walls. Legolas held to the name, the star, the friend, as if it were the hope of his heart. His own hope.

Then the light began to fade. The star became red like the fires that shot through Mirkwood. Like the flames that licked at the window as he sat in the dark room, holding his dead father.

"Help...me." He begged through his desperate eyes, urging the light to come back. Knowing it was indeed his friend, and longing for Estel to be near him.

"How Legolas? How?" it asked, shining momentarily brighter.

Then Thranduil became heavy. He seemed to begin to sink. Sink into the bed, and through it as well. Dragging his grieving son with him.

"Estel. Estel…" He tried to call, but the weight of his father dragged him down. He could not hold him, nor let him go. He was falling with him into darkness.

Then, just as fire began to spring from the window, just as Thranduil began unknowingly to drown Legolas in darkness, Eärendil began to shine. Brighter than ever, in shone through the room, enveloping Legolas.

It's beams whispered to him. "Estel uuye morn na naeg" And somewhere inside, he knew that it was Estel that spoke to him.

The sight of Mirkwood and his father disappeared, and he was standing in nothing. He was standing in beauty. He was standing in hope. And with that, with the words of Estel still echoing in his mind, Eärendil pushed him safely into a dreamless sleep.


	7. Wither Then? I Cannot Say

****

Hullo everyone! Nice to see you all again. :) And still enjoying the story too! Gosh, what a bonus. ;)

Well, Lina, I'm glad to see you're taking good care of your 'babies'…uh, I think you're strangling Aragorn though. *loosens Lina's grip on Aragorn* There we go. Boy do you guys look comfy! ;)

*grins at Siri* I thought you were going to deny being in contact, or ever meeting, seeing, hearing of me, or even knowing of my existence, let alone related! :D Goshly, Shmallow, how touching! *sniff* Even though you don't care too much for me, and even though you drive me crazy with your Aurora CD ;), you STILL admit to being related to me! What a darling sister you…wait…this isn't just so you can dig up uncanny's for my story 'cos of Namarie and Death or Despair?…betcha' that's it. ;) 

No really I'm *slam* very glad to *slam* have you *slam* here…*slam* uhhh you can stop banging your head *slam* on the floor-oh never mind. ;) Oh and thanks for not killing my plot devices. I NEED those. :D

Thanks KarateElf! Nice to see you're still enjoying it. *blushes* poetic? Really? Aw, you're too kind. :D

I know, Cheysuli, it seems rather mean to so avidly dislike Legolas' dad, but have you read Cassia and Siobhan's Mellon Chronicles? Well that's why. Sure, I'd be glad to read your fic sometime. Maybe my thoughts on him would improve! :) 

Well, sorry it took so long to post, but I just got braces, and was in town ALL day yesterday. *rubs gums* youchy. I wonder if Legolas had to have braces. Well, THAT would actually make sense, really. See, everyone's so incredibly fond of Lego-torture, and that would certainly apply, and how else can you explain his PERFECT teeth? It can't possibly be as easy as luck and a lot of Colgate. *grumbles, and rubs gums again* Oye.

OKAY! Time for the post, because Legolas and Aragorn are more than a little more interesting than me. SO, here you go!

Chapter 7

Wither Then? I Cannot Say

Aragorn was awoken by a brutal jab in his back. Another axe pole. "Get up, lazy human. We have another six miles yet to walk."

Aragorn's ankles were untied, and he rose painfully to his feet. The feeling had gone out of his knees down, and his hands.

"Right, lets get going!" Benwin shouted gruffly, and the party of fifteen continued their journey down the long tunnel.

They'd been running steadily for almost an hour when another loud thud sounded from behind Aragorn.

"Halt!" Benwin shouted, and he and Dreago let Legolas slip from their hands.

Aragorn winced at the sound of his friend hitting the dirt ground.

"Maybe if we kick him enough, we'll startle him out of his sleep. I'm not carrying him another step!" Shouted the annoyed Dreago. He'd obviously had quite enough, for no one in their right mind would think that they could kick someone into consciousness.

Benwin gave the other a dubious look. "You think I like this?" He eyed the unconscious elf. "I suppose…" He lifted his axe, aiming the end of it at Legolas' back. "You never know, with *elves*."

A dull thud sounded, and Aragorn closed his eyes again. Another. Then a third. Before Benwin could land his fourth blow, Aragorn had torn around in a circle, and was running back towards cruel dwarf. 

Benwin looked up in time to see the tall human land in the middle of him, but Aragorn's victory was short lived. With his hands tied behind his back, he wasn't totally mobile, and Benwin didn't have a hard time kicking him off.

As soon as the human was off of their comrade, two dwarves rushed in, one grabbing the rope attached to Aragorn's hands, the other grabbing his shoulders to restrain him on his knees.

Benwin stood up slowly, wiping the blood that ran freely from the newly achieved cut on his head. "You should not interfere with me, human." he said darkly "But that is fine. You can *watch* your friend's agony."

Benwin turned, and aimed another blow at Legolas, but Aragorn spoke up quickly. "You will not wake him up that way. Hitting him, and causing him more pain will only make it worse."

The dwarf turned, and scowled at the ranger. "So what do you suggest?"

"Let me carry him."

Benwin looked more than a little skeptical.

"See here, you do not want to drag him," He reasoned, "And I do not want you to hurt him. Untie my hands, and I will carry him."

Benwin glared at the man, but finally nodded. "But any trickery, and the moment I see that elf, I will kill him. No hesitation, I will simply kill him. And then I shall kill you, understood?"

Aragorn nodded, as the dwarf behind him drew a short dagger, and cut his ropes. The other, however, continued to nervously restrain him by his shoulders. Aragorn didn't care. Right now, he only wanted to help Legolas.

Once the dwarf untied him, he pulled another length of rope out, and looped it around Aragorn's neck. "This way we can still keep a leash on you." Benwin told him coldly.

Feeling once again returned to Aragorn's hands with no small amount of pain, but he rose to his feet, and walked over to Benwin.

Benwin cocked his hairy head towards the elf. "Take him." He said indifferently, and then walked behind Aragorn to take the ranger's rope.

Aragorn knelt beside his friend, and cringed at the blood that stained his golden hair. He reached down to his bound hands, and tore at the knots.

"No time for that!" Binwen snapped, but Aragorn wasn't listening, and continued with his endeavor until the ropes fell away. Carefully, gently, he lifted Legolas off the dirt floor, and into his strong arms.

The prince was frighteningly light and frail, and an unexpected lump formed in Aragorn's throat when the blond curtain of hair fell back, and exposed Legolas' pale face.

"Come on, lazy one." Benwin gave Aragorn's rope an impatient tug, and the human stumbled a bit from it's unexpected pull. Holding Legolas tightly to his chest, he turned, and began to walk down the tunnel. 

It was steadily getting cooler, and Aragorn finally realized that they were walking on a down-ward slant. It was slight, and almost unnoticeable, but it struck dread into Aragorn's mind, and he began to feel rather claustrophobic. They were going even deeper underground.

**********

Aragorn had lost all track of time. He seemed to be walking in a dream; a long, vivid nightmare. The walls began to swirl on either side of him, and the ground in front of him tipped and swayed. The only thought that ran through his head was Legolas. He would not stumble, or slow: he would keep walking for Legolas, holding the elf even tighter he thought back on their moments in the dirt prison.

It was his fault that the elf now lay unconscious. He had been careless, and had touched Legolas' hand. How could he have forgot? Legolas had told him, "…when you touch my skin, I feel you striking me…" he had touched him anyway, and the elf, in fear of being struck again, threw himself backwards. The impact had knocked him out, and now he'd been dragged almost five miles.

Aragorn once again ran his fingers over the bruises and scratches up and down his friend's fair skin. They were all his fault. And the blood which ran through his hair was indeed from the cut Benwin had lain. If Aragorn had not hesitated to surrender, the dwarf would not have had cause to cut Legolas' skin.

It was he who was to blame, and now all he could do was stumble along carrying his unconscious friend, hoping to make up for it. "I am sorry, Legolas." He whispered softly, so that only he, and perhaps somewhere in the darkness of sleep, Legolas could hear. "I am so sorry, my friend." Aragorn stared down at his friend's pale face. His body was light, his heart was beating slower by the second. "I do not want to lose you." he repeated his words from the campfire only a day or two ago. Choking his tears back, he touched the broken skin on Legolas' neck.

As his fingers brushed the cut, the elf jerked, as if in a spasm, and groaned. Aragorn pulled his hand back quickly, and moved it further under Legolas' neck, reaching out on the other side of the elf to support his shoulders. But the elf didn't stop jerking, and continued to groan and gasp for breath.

*********

Legolas was in the middle of darkness, for sleep had finally left him, abandoning him in this cold limbo. He stared at nothing, for nothing lay all around him and was all his eyes could focus on.

Suddenly, he felt a burning pain in his neck, and as his hands reached up to grasped the painful spot, he felt someone move up behind him. He turned. "No- no Aragorn don't!" 

But the sneering creature supposed to be his friend, reached out a hand, cuffing the elf on the side of his head. Legolas sprawled a few feet away, and tried to scramble up again, but there was nothing to stand on, so he could only lay on the nothing Aragorn had thrown him to. 

He felt boot hit him in the ribs, and another in the stomach, causing him to sink further into the artificial floor. But with every kick, it wasn't the blow's target that hurt, but the pain in his neck began to seer. It ripped through him like fire, filling his mind with panic and his body with pain.

Another kick hit him, but this time he rolled away, jerking in a spasm. He felt Aragorn move behind him again, this time jerking him off the floor. "You are not my friend." He hissed, sneering at the vulnerable elf. "You will never be my friend!"

"Y-y-you *are* my friend! You are, you said you are!" Legolas shouted, not trying to get away from the man's clutches, but desperate to embrace him as a friend. 

"I don't care if I lose you." He growled evilly, and though Legolas knew it *had* to be someone else. Someone besides his friend. Anyone but his beloved Aragorn!

Without warning, Aragorn reached out and struck Legolas across the neck, hitting the painful wound. Legolas cried out in pain, and rolled away from the human, his body screaming so loud, he could almost hear it.

Suddenly, he realized that Aragorn stood above him, but was gradually getting smaller. Smaller. Smaller. Legolas was sinking into the darkness, and Aragorn was leaving him to die. Though it was worse than death to fall into darkness forever, without his friend.

"Aragorn!" He cried. "Estel, my friend! Don't leave me! I beg you, Aragorn! Come back! 

Please come back!"

****

*********

"Now *your* trying to kill him, eh human? Relationships will never changed. Humans and elves don't mix, and we'd all be better off without the likes of them, right human?" A chorus of laughter followed Gulrin's jibe, and the cruel sound echoed through the titanic tunnel.

Aragorn pulled Legolas close, and shook his head. "I'm sorry." He whispered again, but this time he could not hold back his tears. He didn't want to hurt his friend, he only ever wanted to help. But he'd done nothing but caused pain since he made Legolas tell him what was wrong.

"Good job, human. You will follow your ancestors. You will hate the elves as we do, and with good reason." Binwen's voice came low an menacing from behind Aragorn, and the ranger could hear the dwarf sneer. "Why, it is because of the elf that you are here, for our lord would have no interest in you."

Aragorn turned half-way around. "What interest does your lord have in Legolas?"

Binwen seemed a little irritated at the man for using "the elf's" name, but continued "It is of no concern of yours, human. If you are lucky, you will not find out."

Aragorn was growing tired of the veiled answers, but made no comment. There appeared to be no light at the end of this tunnel. Nothing to walk to, but just to walk. All he could do was hold on to Legolas, as he would his life. Perhaps he could still save him.

**********

It was dark…cold. He had not even noticed before, but now the substance of air was as clear as if it were water. He couldn't see, but he knew he was. Barely, but he was.

Staring around at nothingness, he thought little, and spoke nothing. Only one thought entered his mind. He so desperately wanted Aragorn back. Then, he challenged his mind to awake too the point where he could open his eyes. Slowly, slowly…

**********

Aragorn trudged along, still carrying his elvan burden, but proud to. Relieved that he could touch and hold his friend. Suddenly, he felt the steady heartbeat quicken. He looked down, and was faced with two blue-gray gem-stones staring back at him. Relief and hope seemed to pool in them, like ripples of water.

"Estel…" he whispered, barely finding his voice.

"Shh now." Aragorn put his fingers gently over Legolas' pale lips. "You are very week."

"Where are we?" Legolas stared around a moment, and caught sight of several dwarves walking ahead of him and Aragorn. "What are they?" he asked, an unexpected note of trepidation in his voice.

"Dwarves." Aragorn whispered. Legolas obviously saw some sort of monster rather than the simple miners. He shook the returning feel of apprehension for his friend away. "Try and stay quiet. They believe you are unconscious, and as long as they think that, I am free to carry you."

"Oh, Strider." Legolas whispered, smiling and frowning at the same time. He had apparently only just notice that the ranger was carrying him. "I am so sorry my friend. Indeed, even in unconsciousness, I cause you trouble."

"No, no." Aragorn insisted. "You have been not a burden. I am only glad that you are awake." His voice was quiet, and Legolas knew why.

"You will not lose me." the elf reminded him softly. "You will not."

"No," Aragorn held his friend close "I will not. Not as long as there is breath in me."

"Estel-" Legolas began, but suddenly, their talk was noticed by an bored dwarf standing near. 

"The elf's up!" he called excitedly.

Aragorn, before he could react, felt a sharp tug on his rope, and fell backwards, only barely coming short of landing on Benwin. It was all the human could do to use his own body to cushion Legolas' fall.

Legolas still landed hard, but not as hard as he might have. His head hit Aragorn's chest, and he rolled off as he realized what the man had done for him. "Aragorn!" He called urgently, looking anxiously down at his friend. Aragorn looked as though he were in pain, like as not he'd been winded, but he was not seriously hurt.

As soon as Legolas took this in, he jumped to his feet, and whirled on a dwarf, kicking him in the chest. Ducking an axe-blow, he rolled into another dwarf's legs, knocking the stocky creature over.

This was indeed a good attempt, but Legolas had no more strength, and had to easily give in. The dwarves, of course rallied themselves, and pounced on the weak elf without mercy.

Aragorn desperately wanted to help his friend, but Benwin had wasted no time in taking his rope again, and Dreago ran up beside the big dwarf, and grabbed Aragorn's arms and hauling him half-way off the floor.

Once the crowd of dwarves had cleared, Aragorn could see Legolas again, but the moment of strength was gone, and he looked pale and helpless again. Gulrin held Legolas' shoulders tightly, pinning him on his knees, and the dwarf who had received Legolas' boot in his chest, was busily tying the elf's slender wrist's behind his back again.

Aragorn was so caught up in his despair at seeing this, that it took him awhile to notice that Dreago had tied his own hands again. 

"Well, let us continue on!" Binwen called, pulling Aragorn to his feet. "At least the elf won't be a bother anymore."

Aragorn took one look at Legolas' pale face, and shook his head vehemently. "He cannot walk all that way."

"He will walk, if we tell him to!" Binwen shouted fiercely.

"But he *cannot*!" Aragorn tried desperately to make the dwarf see reason, but Binwen didn't listen.

"Let us go!" 

"Please!" Aragorn implored. "He's still too weak! Will your lord be pleased if he dies before reaching the great hall?"

Binwen was momentarily taken aback, and in that moment, Aragorn tried to push his point. "Let me carry him again. I do not mind, and he will only slow you-"

"Strider." Legolas whispered softly "Do not fear for me, my friend."

"Legolas, you cannot stand."

"Indeed, I can." the elf insisted.

"I do not want to lose you." Aragorn didn't know how many times he'd said that, but his heart was too frightened to listen to Legolas' assurance.

Legolas stared a moment at Aragorn, and smiled sadly. "Eail gosta anim, nin mellon."

//do not fear for me, my friend.// 

Aragorn tried very hard to let his friend's comfort sink in. He was afraid of losing Legolas, but he couldn't let the fear show. Not now.

Binwen rolled his eyes as the two friends tried to bolster each other's strength. "Yes, yes. On the move!'

Gulrin decided that Legolas would be the one to set the pace, and put him in front. This angered Aragorn deeply, and he had to watch as Legolas tried to make his steady way down the tunnel. Every time the elf stumbled, Aragorn's impulse to leap to his aid earned him another jerk on the rope attached to his hands. This would almost always throw him back a step.

An hour rolled by, and Aragorn couldn't take the deafening silence anymore. For him, for Legolas, he began to sing.

"The Road goes ever on and on   
Down from the door where it began.   
Now far ahead the Road has gone,   
And I must follow, if I can,"

To Aragorn's surprise, Binwen did not shout at him, or demand he stop, and Legolas relaxed ever so slightly. It was enough for Aragorn.

"Pursuing it with eager feet,   
Until it joins some larger way   
Where many paths and errands meet.   
And whither then? I cannot say."

As he sang, memories of his visits to the humble Hobbiton, where he'd first heard the old walking song, ran calmly through his mind. And thoughts of the gray Wizard Gandalf who'd also sung it on occasion during his travels. 

Aragorn continued to sing, and slowly Legolas, who'd only heard Gandalf sing pieces of it on occasion, got the gist of the words and tune, and joined in.   


The simplicity of the song lifted a heavy load off of Legolas, and he walked with a lighter step, and singing made his spirits rise again.

Aragorn was sure he heard a few dwarves join in the cheerful melody, but once they realized what they were doing, they stopped. Though the dwarves didn't seem to mind the prisoners singing, they didn't seem to want their comrades to notice them joining in a song for haflings.

Aragorn was glad to hear the sound of music bouncing off the tunnel walls. It seemed to make the musty air clean. It cleared the darkness, brightened the torch light, and echoed all the way to where they were destined. Wherever it was.

Aragorn noticed particular joy in Legolas' tone as they reached the end of the song. 

"Let them a journey new begin,   
But I at last with weary feet   
Will turn towards the lighted inn,   
My evening-rest and sleep to meet."

Though there was no rest, or sleep waiting for him any time soon, singing about it as if there were hope again, lifted Legolas spirits to the ceiling of the tunnel, penetrated the dirt, and somehow reached for the stars. It was the first time he'd felt close to the heavens he missed so much. And in his mind's eye, he could even see them. 

Strangely, it had been harder remembering the starlight when he'd been under the blank heavens. Now, standing hundreds of feet under ground, he could imagine them, and for the first time, he knew they waited for him on the other side of the earth. That they were there. Singing the song millions of feet bellow. 

When the song came to an end, the tunnel seemed completely empty. A dark void swirled around them, and the echo of the song palled. Legolas sighed, doing his best to hold onto what was left of the wonderful melody.

Then, off to the side of him, he heard Gulrin's voice.

"The Road goes ever on and on…"

Legolas and Aragorn immediately picked it up again, and beauty was once again restored to the dark tunnel.

Binwen was quite put out that Gulrin had been the one to start singing the halfings' song again, but did not object. Indeed, it had been long since any dwarf down here had found something to sing about…

**********

Once again, they reached the end of their song. It had been almost six times 'round, and by the third time, everyone, save Binwen, was singing. The dwarves' gruff, gravely baritone voices were a sharp contrast to Aragorn's steady melody, and Legolas' soft soprano. The lot of them were slightly tone-deaf as well, but it was enough to keep them all moving.

Finally, they halted, and it took Aragorn a moment to realize why. They'd reached…a dead end? The ranger stared at it hard, but even with his human eyes, it was plain to see they had indeed reached naught but a wall of rock.

Binwen handed Aragorn's rope over to another dwarf, and walked up to the rock wall. Pressing his huge hand to the barrier, he called in a loud, thunderous voice "Servants of Bodruith, uzbad of Gabil Gû ndu! It is I, Binwen!"

Silence. Then, the rocks began to shift and change. A load of them fell away, revealing a crack down the middle of the blockade.

Legolas soon realized what had made them fall away. The wall, that apparently wasn't a wall, was opening. It was indeed a huge door, and as it swung open, light poured through into the dimly lit tunnel.

Four large dwarves stood by the massive gate, and were pushing on it's great doors. As Binwen passed through they nodded assent to their entry. When they saw Legolas, an evil look came over them, and a few were obviously trying to hide a sneer.

Aragorn didn't like any of it. Well, there wasn't much to like, but though this room was full to the brim with torch light, it was, in essence, the darkest place under ground. 

Suddenly, Legolas planted his feet in the ground. "No! Please! Do not make me! I cannot go!"

Aragorn rushed forward to his friend, yanking his rope from the dwarf behind him. "Legolas!"

Legolas whirled about, eyes wide, as if he'd noticed the dwarves about him for the first time.

"Legolas? What is wrong?!" Aragorn ran beside his friend, trying to calm him by words, as his body was a little to restrained to touch him.

A loud voice boomed from just ahead of them in the great hall. "He is afraid of me, human."

****

*eerie music plays* scaaary huh? Well, that was kinda' interesting. I wonder who-*looks around at everyone* WHAT?! I'm not the *only* one with cliffies! *sighs* look at Cassia and Sio! Siri and Sarah! What, you don't believe me? 

Okay, tell you what:

1. Go read the most recent post on Seventh Stone (Cassia & Sio)

2. Go read the most recent post on Death or Despair (Siri & Sarah)

3. Re-read this post

4. Realize how much better it is, cliffy-wise, in comparison

5. SO DON'T HURT ME!!! *runs off to find an elf body-guard*


	8. For A Grieving Son

****

Hullo again! :)

Well, everyone was a lot nicer about NOT killing me over that cliffy. Sorry 'bout that, but this one's better…oh wait. Uhh heh-heh…oh never mind.

Yes, Cheysuli, I think I'd like to read your story sometime. I'm a little preoccupied currently, but I'll get to it ASAP. And as for the Twilight Zone, hehe, that's fairly fitting! ;)

No, Siri, as you put it so well (multiple times) THIS CAN'T BE GOOD! ;) As for the singing dwarves,…well we already discussed it. (starts playing Darth Vadar theme) "My pre pre pre pre pre pre pre pre!…precious!" :D Sorry guys, 'nother inside joke! :P

Hullo, Cassia! It's wonderful to see you again! (even though you've not been particularly nice to Aragorn-and-Legolas this week…) *smiles innocently* I've still been enjoying Seventh Stone immensely. 'sides, who am I to talk about being mean to Aragorn and Legolas? I mean really…

And it's okay if you don't get much chance to post. I know how extremely busy you are, and you'll need aaaaaaall the time you can get to post on Seventh Stone, right? ;)

Well, thank you Wolfete, Queen-of-Gondor, and Ebony! I'm glad you enjoy my writing so much! :) And I'm not trying to convince my readers that I can't write, Larus…I'm trying to convince them that Seventh Stone and Death or Despair are BETTER. :D Well the are! In fact, did you know this is the FIRST fic I have EVER finished? I'm serious, I've been writing since age 10, and this is the first one I've finished. :O *grin*

*turns her head distinctly away from Kellen* What? What did you say? Oh, I'm sorry Kellen I didn't- rule book huh? Heheh…well who said there was a rule book. Who made that up. Someone made that up because there isn't a rule book and I bet it was you…oh ya. I said it was the umm…yes well…

*clears throat loudly* KELLEN! So sorry you're not feeling well. *hands over prototusen and a box of tissues* And sorry the unintended cliffy caused such and uproar in Middle Earth! ;) I hope you get better! *glances down the post* SOON, if cliffies make you cough…

No, no, no, Laebeth. No, actually quite the contrary. See, if the elf-body-guard guy *doesn't* help me out, I just might decide on…(checks elf's name-tag) Figwit tourcher! ;) Really, I'd be far too frightened to attack my bodyguard, especially because…uh lets just say the cliffies aren't quite over yet… :D

*jumps back* Hi-yi-YI! Down, Liliana! No, really, it's not my fault…well, okay, maybe a little but…hey, I need my dreams for planning plot ideas! When else am I gonna' feed my plot bunnies? I mean really! ;) Besides. I'm posting now aren't I? :D

Yeah, Armadillo, I was actually originally planning on that. But you're right, it would end too soon. Plus, well I, for reasons that you'll find soon enough if you read this post, that they need to umn…not get freed yet, shall we say…*clears throat* Chloe, don't you say another word! :P 

…*stares at Lina dumb-founded, and slowly pats her on the head*…uuuh Lina? You okay? I think you're slowly putting together a Legolas souvenir shop! *glances around at plush Legolas, chocolate Legolas, and now, Legolas Band-Aid box* right. Sure, whatever. 

And yes, you are rather on the goof-side, but hey! It makes me laugh, so keep it up! :D

Hey Rose! Sorry 'bout the cliffy…yeah, I'll umm…it'll get better!…eventually? :|

Hullo, Aerin! Nice to see you're enjoying it! Yeah, I reeeeeeally don't like slash either. Welcome to the club! S.S.G.M.! (Stop Slash Go Morals) ;)

WELL! Onto the story! *grins back at Siri* and, okay, now I like the CD. *starts dancing to the music (of a different drum)* Eye-eye-eye eye-eye-eye! :D *giggle* Sorry, more jokes.

M'kay, here it goes!

Chapter 8

For A Grieving Son

Legolas cringed at the voice, and tried to run out of the hall, but the dwarves were for once quicker than the terrified elf, and pulled him back into the bright room.

"Afraid of you?" Aragorn demanded of the voice heatedly "Why would he? Who are you?!"

"Now, now, you humans are so incredibly hasty! Be calm, human, be calm."

"I will not be calm until I know who you are!" Aragorn felt a tug as the dwarf behind him finally rallied himself, and grabbed his rope again.

"Then come in here, and you will find out."

The mass of dwarves began to move into the great hall's center, dragging the human and elf with them.

"No!" Legolas shouted. "No, please!" But the dwarves, of course, paid the elf no heed.

As Aragorn went further into the hall, he caught his first glimpse of the voice's source. It was yet another dwarf, sitting high on a stone chair that stood on a platform in the center of the room. The stone dais was about four feet off the ground, and had stairs running up to it. 

Aragorn looked hard at the creature. To be sure, he was not much to look at, just another dwarf, but as he looked closer, he realized that there *was* something different about him. He was old, but strong, and his black eyes seemed to pierce through all the looked into them. His hair was jet black, and frizzy as most dwarves, and he had a good-sized axe by his throne like the ones Benwin and Dreago carried. And yet, unlike the other dwarves he looked refined, and ostentatious, rather than gruff and boisterous. 

Finally, Aragorn realized what it was about him that set him apart. He was old. Many of the other dwarves were well into their older years as well, but this one was ancient, and wise. 

But the wisdom was ominous. Frightening. It was as if he was far too wise. As if his wisdom had given him knowledge of something he should not know.

"So." The soothing voice continued. "Now you know what I am, but not who I am. I am Uzbad Bodruith, lord of the underground halls. I rule the dwarves of Gûndu, our great halls under the grounds of Mirkwood."

"I thank you that I now know your name," Aragorn said fearlessly, "but I have yet to find who you are. I am sure that your lordship understands the difference between name and being?"

Bodruith shook with silent mirth. "Indeed, it is well that I brought you alive, rather than killing you that I might work with the elf directly. To be sure that was my intent, but you amuse me, human, and that is not an easy task."

Aragorn didn't blink. "To that, I repeat my question, who are you?"

"Ah, now, be still. You shall find that in good time." He turned his dark eyes on Legolas, and smiled cruelly. "Well then, son of Thranduil, why do you cower before me? I am but a dwarf - old and clumsy - am I not?"

"Ulund." Legolas breathed, as he tried desperately to brake free from the circle of dwarves that held him.

Bodruith shook his head "My, my. A monster am I? Is that what you see? But you foolish little elf, I am a dwarf! Do you not see me?"

Legolas shook all over, and went slack in the dwarves' grip.

"Well talk to me, elf! Can you not see me? Or do your eyes lie to you?" Bodruith watched elf with a sneer, but the evil look slowly swept off his face. Legolas just barely stood, almost oblivious to his taunts.

"Bring him to me!" He shouted angrily. Unfortunately, this had the exact effect he'd wanted, for Legolas stood up straight, and began to dig his feet into the dirt again.

"No! Please, please! No, I cannot! Aragorn!" He cried as loud as he could, pulling against the throng of dwarves.

Aragorn tried to pull away from his captor again, but this time, the dwarf was smarter, and held tight to the rope. "Legolas!" He called, doing his best from where he was 

"Ea na gwiil, Legolas! Ea na gwiil! 

//be at peace, legolas! Be at peace!//

Legolas couldn't listen, couldn't think, couldn't see. All he could do was struggle against the dwarves dragging him towards the dwarf-lord. "No. No." he whispered softly,

"You should be proud, my lord." Binwen told the other grinning evilly "He was not once that frightened of me!"

"Indeed, Binwen." Bodruith's sneer expanded "He has been given a second dose, has he not?"

"He has, my lord."

"Then," Bodruith made a fake frown "it is due to that, rather than my presence that he is frightened so. No matter, he is exactly where I want him."

Binwen and the dwarf lord shared a laugh, and the group of Bodruith's subjects finally dragged Legolas to the foot of the giant dais. 

"So, son of Thranduil, how do you feel?"

Legolas clenched his jaw, and looked away from the dwarf lord.

"Speak, elf!" Bodruith shouted angrily "I easily lose patience!"

"If you kill me," Legolas whispered softly "it will be better anyway. I am not afraid to die. I only fear what I see now."

"Oh? What do you mean by that, elf prince?" the dwarf asked soothingly.

"I am ill. I know not with what, or how, but I cannot see beauty or feel comfort. I see you as a monster, as all the…well, Strider tells me they are dwarves, but they do not look as them to me."

"I see." Bodruith smirked "Well, I believe you. And I know what you suffer of, for I have inflicted it on you."

Legolas raised his eyes slowly "What do you mean?"

"It is no illness or magic that you see no beauty, feel no comfort, fear everything. You suffer from poison. Poison I have given you." Bodruith sat back in his high throne, and stared down at the elf in front of him, as if he looked down at a child. Then he began to speak as though he told an ancient tale. 

"Long ago, the elves of Greenwood the Great, the land that is now Mirkwood, discovered an herb called Bengwiil. It was hard to find, but they uprooted as much as they could, for they soon found it was a wonderful cure for illness. If the plant was burned, and an elf inhaled the fumes, it would dull all pain for almost an hour. Well, of course it was a wonderful discovery! When any of the wood elves were in pain, or just wanted sweet rest, they would burn the Bengwiil.

"Well, this went on for quite some time. Slowly, the elves began to grow the plant on purpose. Sometimes quarrels would brake out amongst them, over who would receive the better plants. It became as good as Dragon treasure to them.

"Then, one day, a group of elves went out hunting. While on the trip, they'd been attacked by wolves, and one of their party had been seriously injured. Very seriously. They burned a whole

bushel of Bengwiil, but it did not dull the pain. In desperation, the elf ate a leaf of the plant. At first, it gave him sweet rest, and he felt good as ever, but when he awoke an hour later, he was not himself.

"For some reason, he would not tell anyone what the problem was exactly, but he was half mad, and went on and on about how dark it was, and how angrily people stared at him. How he 'had to know' and how no one would speak to him. Oh, he was still an elf. His ways of life, his instincts, his love of the stars, they did not change. Only he. In fact, it made it more painful, for he no longer could see the stars, or any of the other things that elves are so infatuated with."

At this, Legolas had to turn away. Yes, he knew exactly what the elf had gone through.

Bodruith continued his tale. "Almost a fortnight later, he went completely mad, and died, believing everyone had hated him to the end." He leaned forward and leered at Legolas. "That is what you have, son of Thranduil. That night you and the foolish human decided to camp in the depths of Mirkwood, I injected a Bengwiil coated barb into your system , and set the poison in motion through your mind. To this moment it affects your mind. But you will not be so fortunate as the first elf. You have been injected with it twice. I know not how, but by some chance, you began to build an immunity. You began to hear comfort, and hope. I could not have that, for if you know any comfort whatsoever, your mind would have a chance to build a defense against it. As long as you are in despair, you cannot do this. I injected you with a second dose. Yes prince, the elf lived a fortnight, but you shall live but another hour."

Legolas stared back at the dwarf, his eyes wide, his face paler than ever. But then, doing his best to be bold, he looked away. "What will happen to Aragorn when I die?" He asked quietly.

"You will not die, Legolas." Aragorn told him, trying to hide his anguish. How could someone purposefully do this to an innocent being? It angered him, and pained him deeply to see the callous look on Bodruith's face. How *could* he?! 

Legolas, of course, could not hear Aragorn's optimism.

Bodruith examined Aragorn a moment, with his keen black eyes. "Do not worry about him, son of Thranduil." he grinned "He will not die as painfully as you."

Legolas threw Aragorn a pained look, and then turned his sorrowful silver-blue gaze back to the dwarf lord. "Why? Why me?"

"Why you." Binwen no longer triumphant, and his face was grave. "Because your father killed mine."

"What?" Legolas demanded, his eyebrows creased with confusion. "He would never do such a thing!"

"Ah, yes, your father made no mistakes in his life. Do not be so foolish, son of Thranduil. All make mistakes, and elves some if the worst. Your father was blinded by his own selfish grief."

"What do you mean?" Legolas asked tiredly, as though he grew weary of talking.

"The elf that died from Bengwiil, was a friend of Thranduil's."

"Minaeg." Legolas said thoughtfully. "I have often heard it said that he died a sad death, but none that lived at that time had the heart to tell me the minutiae. My father least of all."

"Yes." Bodruith said bitterly "After Minaeg died, Thranduil was so angry, he demanded that all trace of Bengwiil should be destroyed. So many of the wood elves were upset by Minaeg's tragic death, and so afraid that even inhaling the fumes too much would cause the same fate, that there was no argument, and all but one plant was sought out and destroyed. This one plant they grew somewhere hidden, so that if ever they needed it desperately, they would have it.

"My father, Browin, had been making a settlement for his people in Mirkwood at the time, and one day, one of the tunnels he'd begun collapsed and hurt him badly. His brother, my uncle Fulien, journeyed to the halls of Mirkwood, and begged Thranduil for the plant he'd saved. He knew of it only by tales he'd been told, but he was sure it must be there. It was there, but no matter how much he begged Thranduil, he would not give him so much as a leaf of Bengwiil.

"By the time Fulien reached the settlement again, my father was dieing. He was in so much pain…" The dwarf cut off, and swallowed hard, not for the world wanting Legolas to see the tears forming in his dark eyes. "The Bengwiil would have helped him greatly, but Thranduil would not give it, and so my father died."

"But Bengwiil, as you have said, would have only stopped the pain." Legolas argued "It would not have saved his life."

"If the pain had not been so great, he would have been able to bear it, and would have had the strength to stay alive."

"But you do not know that."

"You pretend to know me so well, elf! I know! I knew my father, and he was strong."

"Did-" Legolas tried desperately to look for an explanation. "Did my father say that he would not give your uncle the Bengwiil?"

"No, of course not! Wanting to maintain our peace, and his reputation, he claimed they had not kept the plant. But I know. He had, and maybe still has that plant. He could have saved my father, but did not!"

"I am terribly sorry for your loss." Legolas murmured sadly, looking down at the dirt floor. "More than I can say."

"You are not, son of Thranduil. You want me to spare your, or maybe the your human friend's life! You care not."

"I do." Legolas whispered, barely audible.

Aragorn had said nothing for a long time, for fear of breaking the important exchange between the two sons, but now, he could see, this was going down a dangerous path. It could lead to Bodruith becoming angrier, or Legolas becoming even more downcast than he was at present.

"How is it, then, that you poisoned Legolas with this Bengwiil, when there is none left?"

Bodruith turned angrily from Legolas to Aragorn, no longer getting any joy out of relinquishing his tale. "When I learned the elves had killed my father, I had no desire to live in their accursed forest any longer. I ran away from the tunnels my father had begun, and now my uncle continued to build, and into the darkest parts of Mirkwood. There, I found a lair of spiders. Having every intension of letting them kill me, so I might be out of my misery, I went deep into their cave. But there I found a whole cluster of Bengwiil. I only recognized it, because my uncle carved it above the inscription on my father's tomb. The elves had not searched for it amongst the spiders, of course, and so it was mine for the taking.

"I ran from the lair of the spiders, and was surprised to not be attacked. As I found out later, the spiders had left that home long ago. I planted the Bengwiil a ways off from our tunnel, and checked on it every day. I knew that when I inherited the underground tunnels, I would have my revenge." his evil leer returned as he looked at Legolas again. "And so I have."

Legolas shook his head. "What does this do to my father? It is not as if he will ever know what has happened to me. You have not taken your revenge."

"Indeed I have. It is worse to never know what has become of you. He will wonder where his son has gone, and what he has done to deserve such a thing! Then, he will in desperation look back and remember. He denied a simple dwarf the cure for his brother. Alas! The brother could no longer be alive, for due to this denial, he will surely be dead now. Indeed, he will know then that *I*, son of the one he killed, has killed his son for his faults. He will know."

Legolas shook his head over and over. Aragorn looked in despair over at him. But suddenly, despair turned to terror. Legolas kept shaking his head, until he was shaking all over.

"Legolas?" Aragorn called softly.

But suddenly, Legolas collapsed. 

"Release him!" Bodruith cried gleefully "And untie him too."

Dreago pulled out a dagger, and sliced Legolas bonds, and then let go. Legolas slumped limply to his knees, pressing his hands hard against his temples. His breathing was forced, his face white.

"His mind is failing. The poison is working its evil." Bodruith's voice had a tone morbid enjoyment behind them. "He will not be with us long."

Aragorn shook his head vehemently, and lunged towards his friend again, but the dwarf pulled his rope back. At the struggle, Dreago and Binwen ran to the dwarf's aid and grabbed the struggling ranger's arms, and gave them a yank. Aragorn sank to his knees at the impact, too full of anguish and fear to be strong and stay standing under the bulky dwarves' weight.

Once on his knees, Dreago and Binwen clamped their great hands on his shoulders, holding him in the vulnerable position. 

Aragorn barely noticed. All he could see anymore was his fading friend kneeling on the floor, fighting for his life.

"Legolas!"

****

…sorry.


	9. Iston

****

…ehm…sorry? No, really, I AM! Well, sorta'. I mean you're still reading it, aren't you? ;) Besides, you're not alone or anything. I'm sure that poor Legolas and Ara- hehe - LINA'S Aragorn aren't enjoying this either. ;)

Actually, Cheysuli, I made up Bengwiil. And, for all those who would like to know, it means "without peace" in elvish…yeah, I thought that a fitting title. :D And no, I can't answer your questions. DON'T get me wrong, I like you! :) But it *would* be a shame to give away the exciting conclusion right before it's chapter! ;)

*starts running away from Leggyfan* AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! Everyone's trying to kill me. *starts moping* and I AM sorry, legolas' sweetie…sorta. *grin* ;)

No, Karateelf, I'm no "I love Leggy" person either. It would be rather pleasant if he didn't die though, wouldn't it? ;)

*ducks flower-vase, snowball, chair, grand piano, and ff.net rule book* YIPES, Myfanwy! DON'T KILL ME cause if you do, this thing'll never end! You won't find out what happens. *picks up ff.net rule book* and as for the cliffy rule…that's a load of hooey. Nothing but bologna. Who made that rule up anyway? *reads over previous posts* oh ya. Hehe, I did. Well…umn…OH forget it. I don't like this book. *chucks ff.net rule book* 

Whoopsies! *pats Kellen on the head* sorry 'bout that. No really I didn't MEAN to hit you with the ff.net.hooey book of rules!…*looks at black stare* WHAT? Oh, yeah I know. I didn't MEAN to make you sick again either! I'm a miserable failure. *sniff* can I borrow some of those tissues?…*sniff*….*brightens up* a teacher? REEALLLY? Aw, you're too kind, Kellen. *grin* :D

And sorry, kayleigh_talitha, but I can't tell you what happens. I know, I know, I'm the meanest person to walk Middle Earth, but hey! You'll find out soon, I can tell you that! ;) Good at cliffies? Well, thank you! 'though, most would say that' not much to brag about. *casts a wary eye at Leggyfan and legolas' sweetie*……….*shivers* ;)

Hehe, LOL, Siri! I cracked up! And you say *I'm* the one with the funny posts! ;) And yes, I didn't think that you'd think of poison. It was a very ingeeeenious idea, wasn't it? *practices haughty gate* yeah, but you know. Don't feel bad, because some are just born with talent, and others- *gets pillow in her face* HEY! Well, fine, fine. 'f you don't want to just WAIT a few measly seconds, HERE'S your post. HERE you go. *starts grumbling*. :P

WELL, everyone, completely sorry I left you with that awful cliffy, and I must warn you…umn…*speaks really rushed* this-one's-notta-lot-better! *jumps behind scowling dwarf body-guard* what? Hey, do you honestly think that an ELF would decide to be my body-guard so I can post more Leggy-tourcher-cliffies? Yup, you were right Laebeth. He didn't like the idea too much. ;)

Anways, his name is Greemy son of Grimy. Say hello, Greemy…..*crickets* he's a bit shy, and I'm a bit crazy, so why don't we just post, huh? Goody.

Well once again, thanks for the fantastic reviews! Now, onto the post. I'll be hiding behind Greemy, and umn…browsing in Lina's shop! I'd very much enjoy a Legolas T-Shirt…*grin* ;)

Kay! Here we go! 

Chapter 9

Iston

"Legolas! Hold on! Hold on!" Aragorn shouted, trying once again to brake free of the dwarves. 

"He cannot hear you." Bodruith hissed delightedly "He cannot hear comfort."

Legolas fell forward on his hands and knees gasping for breath, shaking all over from artificially triggered adrenalin. He could barely hold himself up.

"Stop it!" Aragorn pleaded "Leave him alone! He is someone's son! Someone's- someone's friend! Please, have you no mercy?! He is a son just as you!"

"Indeed." Bodruith whispered in silent evil. "But he yet has his father. I do not."

Aragorn shook his head in desperation. "Please! Take me. Indeed, I am in relation to many elves as well! Take your revenge on me!"

Bodruith heard none of it. He was completely enveloped in watching Legolas writhe on the floor, trying to grip himself.

"Now you know. You know what it is like to be dieing for the pain to be gone? Well I shall not give relief to you. As your father did to mine, I shall do it to his son."

Legolas could barely hear him. "Aragorn!" He gasped.

"Legolas! Breath!" Aragorn shouted, but he knew the elf would not hear him.

"Oh, worry not, human. If his mind is crumbling as I think it is, he will go mad. Then, he shall lose what he holds dearest. All he needs is something to trigger it." Bodruith nodded to Binwen, and the large dwarf moved forward with his axe, lifting it high above Aragorn's head.

***********

Legolas writhed on the floor, trying to lift himself up. Aragorn shouted something, but he could not make out words. Bodruith laughed, and began to speak, but again Legolas could not decipher what he spoke of either.

"Aragorn." He pleaded in a hoarse whisper, but there was no response. He finally looked up, but suddenly wished he had not. Aragorn was being held up by a hoard of Orcs, and one lifted his scimitar. Above Aragorn's head.

Legolas shut his eyes to the dull thud. When he opened them, Aragorn lay on the floor, blood running down the side of his head. His eyes stared at nothing.

"No!" shouted Legolas as loud as he could "No, Aragorn! No!" His body started to shake from tears now as well as adrenalin. 

"Each nin er estel." he cried softly "Oh Estel."

//you are my only hope.// 

As despair took him, Legolas felt his wits slip away, his breathing become so labored that there was no point in endeavoring to make breath come. There was no point in breathing anyway, though. Not anymore.

*********

Aragorn's head pounded, and he felt blood pour down his face. He looked along the floor he was now even with, and saw Legolas shaking all over. "Oh Estel." He whispered.

A shield. Legolas had to build a shield. If he could only hear comfort, his mind would build a shield strong enough to let him live at list awhile longer. But he could *not* hear comfort! Somehow, he *had* to get through!

**********

Breath in. Breath out. He didn't want to, but his tired body did, and went on operating correctly without his permission.

"You've taken my father, my comfort, my life, and now my friend." He rasped to the cold dwarf on his high throne. "You cannot hurt me anymore."

"Then it would be best to die, would it not?" Bodruith answered flatly.

"It would." Legolas agreed. "But not for you. Estel." It felt as though he merely wished to commit suicide, but he knew he would not live anyway. Even if he survived the poison Bodruith had injected him with, he knew full well his heart would never make it with Aragorn gone. He would die of a broken heart, and he would rather die beside his old friend. 

He sighed deeply, pain wracking his body with the feat, willing his body to stop working.

***********

He knew if he spoke, Legolas would not hear him. What then? How in the world was he supposed to get through?!

Then, Aragorn remembered a comment of Bodruith's. 

"…he was still an elf. His way of life, his instincts, his love of the stars, they did not change. Only he…" 

His way of life…Lennathon!

*********

Legolas couldn't convince his body to stop working. To stop receiving the air it needed to survive. But finally, he thought of Aragorn again. The thought of him lying there, dead, was enough, and his body agreed it was time to go.

Slowly, the air left his lungs, and he did not refill them. His heartbeat grew slower, and he did not excite it into motion. He turned as much as he could, so he could see Aragorn. He wanted his friend to be the last thing he saw…before he died.

Then, "Gwiil, nin mellon!"

//peace, my friend!//

He listened as close as he could with his dieing ears, and caught…"Gwiil, Legolas!"

//peace legolas!"

Someone was speaking peace. It took his dulled mind a moment to pick it up, but finally he translated his native tongue. Aragorn?

"Maem! Meam, Legolas! Urin dant-mina dae!" 

//I am well! I am well, legolas! Do not fall into shadow!//

"Estel-" He whispered with the last breath he had. For a moment he considered coming back, but then he looked at Aragorn, motionless on the floor. His mind played tricks on him, he thought bitterly. Aragorn's voice was only echoing from the past. He was dead. And all Legolas wanted now was to join him.

**********

Aragorn watched a momentary change in Legolas as he called to him, but then the elf turned away. Aragorn pushed his knees under him, and eventually stood, wiping his bleeding forehead on his shoulder. Binwen had indeed hit him hard with the back of his axe, and now he saw why.

When Legolas saw Aragorn fall, and blood on the side of his face, his delusional mind made it out to be a murder, and his despair weakened him further. 

"He cannot hear you." 

Aragorn turned angry eyes on the dwarf lord. "Yes he can!"

"But it will do him no good." Bodruith continued. "It is of no comfort to him, because though he hears it, he does not believe it. He sees you dead!"

Aragorn shook his head. So he had to *know*. Know…

*********

Last breath. He had used his last breath to whisper his friend's name. That is the way Legolas would have liked it anyway. He felt himself slip through the floor as if he were walking in a dream. This isn't quite what he thought death would be like, but he actually found it refreshing.

As darkness crept around him, he heard a sound. Another voice. But this time it spoke something else. Something deeper.

"Eam layaa mellon, Legolas!"

//I am your friend, legolas!//

Legolas hovered in mist awhile, remembering the last sight he'd seen. Aragorn was dead. He could not speak. Then it came again.

"Eam layaa mellon, Legolas! Legolas!"

"Es- Est-" he tried to gasp, but it merely drained any chance of breath out of him. Darkness reached out and took him. There was nothing to live for.

"See with your heart, Legolas." He heard the familiar words of Aragorn's. "You *can* see with your heart. Do not trust your eyes, for you know they lie to you. Look through the eyes of your heart, and know. Know I am your friend!"

In that moment, Legolas mind was clear. He seemed to fly, and he knew if he wanted to, he could've seen anything he wanted to. Even the stars. All was real, all was well. His father lived, his eyes saw, his heart loved and longed, the stars sang, Middle Earth went on… and Aragorn was his friend.

"Eam layaa mellon, Legolas! Eam layaa mellon!"

He heard the words, and finally knew what to do, for he knew anything at all. In a quietly powerful, sadly joyful, confused understanding voice, he whispered "Iston."

"No!" Bodruith's voice seemed far away "No! He cannot know!"

"Eam layaa mellon!"

"Iston!" He shouted louder, filling his lungs painfully with air.

"Eam layaa mellon, Legolas! Legolas, I am your friend! I will *always* be your friend! I am here! I am well! I am your friend!" Aragorn shouted, and mixed with his words, Legolas too shouted.

"Iston! Iston, nin mellon! Iston each nin mellon! Eam layaa!"

//I know! I know my friend! I know you are my friend! I am yours!// 

Legolas' heart raced out of darkness, his spirit decided against leaving the room, and returned to him. As his mind came out of despair, it started fighting the Bengwiil that poisoned his mind just as Bodruith said it would. Life rushed fully into his lungs, hope filled his heart. Then, vision returned to his eyes, and he could see. Truly see!

Aragorn's eyes saw him, and no longer stared in death. He was standing upright, and was looking down at Legolas. And for he first time, it seemed to Legolas, in eons, he saw his friend smiling. Tears were on the ranger's cheeks, and he looked so tired, but he was alive. He was feeling. He was there. And he did not hate Legolas.

"No! No this cannot be!" hollered Bodruith in vain. 

Aragorn tore away from the dwarves who still tried to restrain him. Even with Dreago and Binwen holding him back, Aragorn got away, and ran to Legolas. Nothing would separate them now. Not now that Legolas lived.

Aragorn knelt beside Legolas, and since he could not embrace the elf with his hands tied, Legolas reached out and wrapped his arms around the human.

"Oh. Estel…" Legolas whispered in a voice choked with tears.

Aragorn nodded against Legolas' shoulder. "Yes, Legolas. I am here now. Truly here." 

"You were always truly there." Legolas told him softly "Always, my friend."

Bodruith shook with rage. "Take him! He cannot live!"

Dreago and Binwen slowly went forward, and grabbed Aragorn again. The human tried desperately to stay by Legolas, but the stronger dwarves pulled him back.

"Now, elf, you know you see right. Then, I shall give you truth you do not wish to see!" Bodruith turned to his large dwarves again. "Kill the human."

"No!" Legolas shouted "No, you wish to kill me, not Aragorn!"

"No, no, I wish to kill you both." the dwarf-lord's arrogance began to return at the terror in Legolas' eyes.

Dreago and another dwarf held Aragorn firmly by his arms, and stood, while Binwen pulled out his axe.

Legolas tried to rise, but two dwarves were soon on top of him, and held onto him down on the floor.

Binwen raised his axe over his shoulder, and aimed for Aragorn's heart.

Aragorn shook his head slowly. "I am sorry it must end this way, Legolas." He whispered. "Namá rië , nin mellon."

"Estel, please!" Legolas begged, as though Aragorn could have done it differently. "I do not want to lose you…" Legolas remembered Aragorn whispering those same words to him many times. Now he knew how the ranger had felt. He couldn't help the feeling that he just didn't *want* this to happen! He couldn't bear it!

"You will not lose me." Aragorn quoted his friend's well-known reply, and Legolas shook his head slowly, and closed his eyes, understanding how frustrated Aragorn had been with the calm reply.

"I want you with me." He whispered again, so softly that not even Aragorn could hear him.

Aragorn turned his eyes to the dirt ceiling, and decided it was no good standing there, just waiting for the blow to fall. His heart and mind cringed at the thought of the axe striking him through the chest, and he desperately needed a distraction. Softly, he whispered.

"The Road goes ever on and on   
Out from the door where it began.

As he sang, his mind turned to his adopted family. Elladan, Elrohir and Lord Elrond. He would miss them almost as much as Legolas. Would they ever know what had become of their beloved Estel?

  
Now far ahead the Road has gone,   
Let others follow it who can!"

Binwen paused a moment as Aragorn sang, his clear melody filling the chamber. He was then joined by another high soprano from across the room. Legolas wanted to be together on everything with his friend to the end, if possible.

  
"Let them a journey new begin,   
But I at last with weary feet   
Will turn towards the lighted inn,   
My evening-rest and sleep to meet. "

Aragorn closed his eyes, waiting for the blow again…but it did not come. Binwen dropped his axe, which fell with a clatter to the floor.

"What are you doing, fool?!" Bodruith demanded angrily. "Kill him!"

Binwen turned the dwarf. "No, my lord. He- he may be a prisoner, and goodness knows he has given me enough trouble. But-" The dwarf looked momentarily as though not even he could believe he was saying this. "But he is also the first time I have seen hope in our people. One this courageous, this selfless, cannot be killed so easily. Or if he shall be-" he glanced down that the axe on the floor. "It will be not by *my* hand."

"It will not have to be!" Bodruith jumped down from his throne, and ran down to Binwen, grabbing an axe from Gulrin on his way. He prepared to swing it at Aragorn, but Binwen pushed in front.

"Out of the way." Bodruith's tone was dangerously quiet.

"No, Bodruith." the dwarf-lord's eyes darkened when the other didn't call him by his title. Legolas, as he watched the dwarf, saw an unexplainable look in his eyes. A look of cool defiance, and yet- yet there was confusion. As though he still wasn't sure why.

"Kill him, Binwen," Growled the angered dwarf-lord "or I shall."

"You will have to kill me first." Binwen responded stubbornly.

"Let me kill him," Bodruith snarled "and the blood will not be on your hands. You have naught to worry about!"

"Perhaps," Binwen shook his head slowly, still looking slightly confused. "but our people do. We have dealt with your madness long enough. It shall end here!"

"Binwen." Aragorn said quietly "Do not give yourself for me."

"When you would give yourself away for another, human?" he motioned towards Legolas. "So shall I."

"Yes, you shall." Bodruith swung the axe back, but found he couldn't bring it forward. He turned, and found Gulrin hold the other end, preventing the dwarf-lord from swinging it forward.

"Let go, Gulrin. Now!"

Gulrin shook his head slowly. "'tis *my* axe you hold, lord."

Bodruith let go of the axe, and pulled out a dagger from his belt. "I shall kill him, Binwen! I shall! I *shall* have my revenge! I *shall* make the son of Thranduil suffer!"

"No you shall not!" Binwen shouted back.

Bodruith lunged forward with his dagger intended for Binwen's heart, but Aragorn pulled away from the dwarves, who were so preoccupied with frightening change of events, that they didn't think to hold on tighter. His hands were still tied, so he used his shoulder to move Binwen. The two of them went flying just when Bodruith lunged. Both the dwarves who had been holding onto Aragorn, also dodged, and their lord ended up sprawled on the dirt floor behind them.

Bodruith pulled himself to his feet, and turned a dark glare on everyone. "You- you have betrayed your lord!" He spat. 

"Indeed." Binwen responded, pulling himself off the floor, and helping Aragorn up. "But you have betrayed us. You have let our people go to ruin, while you plan your revenge. Dwilen, whom you sent to poison the elf, was killed by wolves on his return. Drofer you killed when he told you you would not be able force the elf to take your poison. You've put no effort into rebuilding the broken tunnels, and do not allow us to leave unless you say. There is but one staircase to the surface, and you've not built more that more might get fresh air. Our people have grown old and sickly from the lack of clean air! And now you try to kill me, and the human, and possibly everyone to get your revenge! When will you cease? You have tormented the elf much, and he has learned his father's lesson. Do not punish *us* as well. Let them go, and give us peace!"

"No!" Shouted the dwarf-lord, picking himself up off the floor. "It is my destiny to *kill* him! Kill him! Not torment him for a day or two! I shall kill him!" Bodruith raised his dagger again, and rushed to Legolas. "Hold him still!" he told the dwarves. Unfortunately, at the sight of their crazed lord rushing towards them with a dagger, both dwarves let go of Legolas, and leapt back. The elf was not expecting this, and fell over on the floor. Bodruith rushed so quickly, that when his hit Legolas with his running feet, he flew over him, and landed a little ways away.

Legolas cried out, and held his aching ribs where the dwarf had unintentionally, but unremorsefully kicked him. 

"Legolas?!" Aragorn cried, turning around, so Binwen could cut his bonds.

"I am well." Legolas gasped, though he neither looked nor sounded it.

Aragorn shook his hands free of the now slack ropes, and ran to Legolas. Helping him slowly to his feet, he looked over at Bodruith. But the lord was not there.

"Binwen!" He called "It appears your lord has gone."

"He is not my lord." Binwen said gruffly.

"Well, to that, Bodruith has gone." Aragorn amended, supporting Legolas to the stone steps of what used to be a lord's throne. He then turned to one of the dwarves who had held onto Legolas. "Where did he go?"

They were silent.

"I know you saw him," Aragorn said calmly "Where did he go?"

"He is our lord." one of them responded, but there was a distinct uncertainty in their tone.

"He has not been a lord, as much as we *have* been his slaves." Binwen said passionately "There is yet hope lying in these halls in the darkness. Do not throw away our excellence for complacency and foolish pride over our supposed rulers. Come, brothers. Let us win our freedom back, and be the Gibil Khazâd of Gûndu again!"

At this, the dwarves shouted agreement, and raised up their cry "Beware gibil uzbad! Khazâd ai-mênu!"

Aragorn was not entirely sure of what the dwarves shouted, for it was in their secret tongue of khadul. But what he did know, was they were at last on the right side.

The group of dwarves followed Binwen down the passage that the silent ones had seen Bodruith go down. Aragorn took off after them. "Stay here, Legolas, I will go ask for directions out of here!"

Legolas nodded tiredly, and watched Aragorn run through the huge hall gates, and after the group of dwarves.

It was silent in the chamber, and the musty smell of damp earth was beginning to make him feel nauseated. He lay his head on his knees, and tried to let his dilapidated body rest. It was not easy, as good as dieing and then becoming alive again, and more than a little painful.

Suddenly, he heard Aragorn reenter the room. "Strider?" He looked up, but did not like what he saw there.

"Hello, elf." Bodruith grinned "We are at last alone." 

****

Oh, one quick note, I put together a fun-to-make, though rather uninteresting cover for this, and if you'd like, you can see it at:

http://community.webshots.com/photo/53705226/53815069hTglqo

****

Tell me what you think! Okay, that's it! *jumps back behind Greemy*


	10. The Light Stairs of Gabil Gûndu

****

Hello everyone! Nice to see you all again. :)

Sorry about the cover, Liliana. This link should work:

http://community.webshots.com/photo/53705226/53815069hTglqo

****

And trust me, I don't blame you a JOT for not liking Bodruith. Not too nice, is he? And don't worry about the grammar. If that stuff bugged me, I'd never live with myself! ;)

I'm glad you liked the cover, Astaledocalwen! Yeah, to tell you the truth, I only had a basic idea for the story when I made the cover, but it turned out fairly well, in the end. :) And I'm glad you're still into it! Me too. :D

Whoah, Siri, be nice to Checkers! ;) Glad you enjoyed the scene. Though, you're right, I'm quite surprised that Bodruith-the-nutto didn't end up killing someone! *sigh* as I have pointed out previously, dwarves are in the crazy category. And a dwarf gone nuts, is in the scary category. And a dwarf gone nuts out to get Legolas,……..well you might as well go straight to the "picking out your tombstone and flower arrangement" category. :P

AAAAAHHHHH! Lina's huggling Aragorn!…oh sorry. Lina's huggling HER Aragorn. And don't rail on Legolas like that, Lina…it'll hurt Aragorn. :D

Hey, Gwyndolen, nice to see you! :) Aaaahh yes. The whole Soprano thing. Well, as a matter of fact, when I first wrote it, I thought it sounded slightly strange, but according to Webster, the definition of "Soprano" is:

"the highest singing voice in women and boys"

Now, true, Legolas is neither, but Soprano isn't just for girls. In fact, it's not even just for girls and pre-adolescent boys. It's just that most men *can't* hit the higher notes, and are therefore Tenors. Not that they're like not supposed to or anything.

Plus, all the yada-yada of Webster's definitions aside, Legolas isn't a boy, or a man. He's an elf. Tolkien described the elves' singing voices as being "high and wistful" which strikes me as Soprano rather than Tenor. 

ANYWAYZ, making a short question long, I know. All in all, I feel like Soprano was more fitting for an elf, even an elf like Legolas, and sorry if it sounds strange to you.

A music student? Cool, what kind of instrument do you play? I play the piano, recorder, and can do D-minor on my sister's guitar! :)

Sorry, Kawaiigal28, if I'm keeping you up late, and the all CAPS gave it emphasis. Honest! ;) And don't worry about your spelling. Yowr en gud kompinee! :D I can't cpel, and my grammar ain't good as might it should be. *grin*

Oh MY Golden Days! *runs across the room, eyes wide* Uuuh…have you been watching the Mummy? Hercules? Well, you've at least had pleeeeeanty Halloween "fun" for now. *puts fellow review back up* and yes, of course I know I'm evil. Second nature you know, when you write Lego-angst for FUN. ;)

Thanks, lil*bee for the thumbs up! I'm glad you're liking it. :) And, I'm afraid I must admit that…well, yes I like to make Legolas suffer. But that's not all I do, no not a bit of it! I do other things!………..like make Aragorn suffer. *glances at Lina* ANYWAYS……

And thank YOU, KarateElf and Amlugwen, for the compliment. I never thought of myself as writing *very* well, or doing very good drama. It's nice to hear you think that well of my stuff! :) And thank you, Amlugwen, for waiting *patiently*. :D

Oooh….*hands Kellen Advil, water, and a Legolas Band-Aid* oh man, SO sorry there, Kellen. *turns to Myfanwy* DON'T THROW BOOKS!….oh yeah….I threw it. *bangs head against wall* BAD Dobby!…er Chloe. ;) *blushes* Getting ranked with Cassia and Sio? Whoah! Thank you, Kellen! Though…don't mention my name after your newest cliffy. *glances out the window* I already have a mob waiting… ;)

Oh, and keep on rambling! That's what makes a review sa-darn interesting. :D

Well, you guys, I'm happy to report that this one's not such a cliff-hanger! *bows at the sound of cheers* Thank you, thank you…though I can't vouch for the next chapter…*cheers stop* I'm SORRY, okay? :P

Hope you enjoy this next one! (it might ease a bit of the tension off) And I also hope it doesn't send you into…uh unhealthy displays of excitement or stress. *pulls limp Aerin off the floor* yeah, well…

Okay, time to- umm Lina? Lina, let go. No, I need- I need Aragorn to post. No, I won't hurt him, I'm just gonna'- Lina- no, no I NEED him if I'm gonna' post. Lina- L-Lina-LINA, LET GO! *pries fingers off of Aragorn* GASP. Thank you. :D

OKAY, here we go! :)

Chapter 10

The Light Stairs of Gabil Gûndu

Legolas tried to move back, away from the evil dwarf, but his body would have nothing of it, and ached every time he drew breath. "What do you want of me?" he asked quietly.

"I want you dead, you fool." the lord hissed. 

"Then kill me." Legolas said softly, knowing the dwarf had not weapon, for the dagger was still on the floor.

"This is not how I wanted you to die." He growled.

"Nor I." Legolas responded dryly. 

"I wanted you to suffer, thinking everyone hated you. I wanted to drown in your pain, like Minaeg. But I shall be content to kill you."

"Why?" Legolas asked quietly. "Why do you pain yourself? What good does it do you? Why do you not love life?"

The dwarf shook his head, and looked Legolas in the eye. "You do not understand."

"What?" Legolas asked pleadingly.

Bodruith's hands shook, and Legolas was shocked to see a tear roll down his rustic face. "Istonal tulga, young elf. I know not comfort."

Before Legolas could respond, the dwarf pulled from his cloak, an evil dagger, and Legolas knew. He was weak. He was unarmed. And nothing could stop Bodruith from killing him now.

"Goodbye, son of Thranduil."

*********

"He is not down this way!" Gulrin came back to Binwen's side. 

"Go down those two, and search the one back there." Binwen instructed, pointing to two nearby tunnels. "Do *not* forget! If you find him dead, throw your torch into the main tunnel, and so we can find you!"

"Binwen!" Aragorn could not longer hide his impatience. "I am very thankful for all your help, but Legolas needs to get out of here!"

"Alright, human."

"Aragorn, please."

"Alright, Aragorn." Binwen instigated a slight smile. "It is simple to find the 'light stairs' as we call them, for they are the only way to the light of day. There is a small passageway leading off the great hall. It is rather hard to find, but if you look along the back wall, there's a gate. Push it open, and keep going down the hall until you reach the stairs. Then go up the stairs. That is all."

"Thank you my friend." Aragorn sighed. 

"Thank *you* Aragorn." Binwen put a hand up on Aragorn's shoulder. "You have given us hope. I do not know what the future holds for my people, but I do know it will be made better because of you."

"The Road goes ever on, Binwen." Aragorn smiled. "And wither then? We cannot tell."

Binwen nodded. "You are indeed Estel."

**********

Aragorn was half-way down the tunnel again, when he heard a blood-curdling cry. "Legolas!" his carried him faster than he could run, and he almost flew towards the great hall.

As he turned the corner, and ran through the huge gates, he feared what he would see. Indeed what he saw was a difficult sight. Very difficult indeed.

Legolas knelt on the floor, cradling Bodruith's head in his arms. The dwarf had a dagger sticking out of his chest, and blood stained Legolas' sleeves. The elf sensed Aragorn enter the room, but did not look up.

"He ate Bengwiil to relieve the pain in his heart." He whispered. "And found no rest there. I know- I know how he felt. I would have done the same, and given up on life, had- had you not been there, Aragorn." as he looked up, Aragorn could see tears in his silver eyes. "You were my hope. If only he might have had one."

Gently, he reached down, and closed the dwarf's sightless eyes. "May you wander in a better life." He whispered. "Tuarach isto tulga, erethrin er."

//may you know comfort, lonely one//

Legolas rose from underneath the dwarf. Once a lord, but now, naught but a lonely son in his eyes. And his eyes no longer lied to him.

"I am very tired." He told Aragorn, attempting a slight smile.

"Yes." Aragorn nodded, a look of concern still on his face. "That is to be expected."

"Did you find out how to get out of here?"

"Indeed." Aragorn went swiftly to the back of the chamber, and found the hidden door. It was not hard to find, due to the fact that it was open. Aragorn guessed that was where Bodruith had hidden, after taking off part of the way down the hall to lead the dwarves on a wild goose chase. All so he could be alone with Legolas, tell him of what he'd done, and kill himself. Legolas would need awhile to get over this, Aragorn felt.

He took Legolas around the waist, and supported him through the doorway. The hall was not very long, and the two of them were so tired, that they did not speak a word to each other until they reached the steps of the 'light stairs'.

"This will be fun." Aragorn said dryly, and his voice sounded strange after the complete silence. 

"I do not think I can make it." Legolas whispered. "I know that I am being weak, but I can barely move now."

"Then I will move for you." Aragorn responded simply, putting his arm around Legolas' shoulders.

Legolas shook his head and smiled. "Thank you Estel."

"That is why I am here." Aragorn smiled back.

**********

"Where are we?" Aragorn asked as he slipped again, knowing it hurt Legolas every time he moved too much. It was not easy going, trying to find their way through the complete darkness.

"Seventy-eight." Legolas gritted his teeth against the pain. Aragorn's plan had worked though. Counting the stairs did take some of his mind off the agony, and also kept sound in the air, so his ears stopped ringing.

"Someday," Aragorn said, feeling with his foot for the next step, "we shall tell the tale of how we climbed the Light Stairs of Gabil Gûndu."

"Aye!" Legolas agreed "But will we wish generations to know of us as 'the ones that climbed through Gabil Gûndu?"

Aragorn chuckled "I expect not, my friend."

"Eighty-four." Legolas put in awhile later. "I grow so tired of the smell of earth. What would I not give for sunlight, and fresh air?"

"Morth tur-al garo ad thenin glawar." Aragorn whispered gently.

//darkness cannot hold back true sunlight//

"Hantach." Legolas responded. "Eighty-seven."

"Now I wish I had not suggested this pastime." Aragorn groaned.

"And why ever not?" Legolas responded, sensing mirth.

"It gives you another reason to express your talent of talking too much."

"I?!" Legolas demanded, smiling. "It is the humans that are constantly in needless conversation."

"I did not say that elves digress from the conversation. I said that *you* talk too much."

"Indeed? I should- ninety-two -I should like to see you try to carry a conversation at all."

"I can."

"You cannot."

"I am. Did I not start this one?"

Legolas could not hold back the laughter anymore. "That hurts." He sighed, clamping an arm over his chest.

Aragorn shook with laughter as well. "Then don't laugh!"

"How am I to avoid it, with you around?"

"I know not." Aragorn laughed. "Where are we?"

"I thought you didn't like that pastime!"

"True, but I believe you have lost count."

"I have not."

"Then where are we?"

"Ninety-five."

"I wish you would not count the stairs like that. 'tis long enough a staircase without you counting *how* long!"

"Strider!" Legolas laughed, holding his chest tightly.

"Sorry." Aragorn wiped tears of laughter out of his eyes, and looked over at Legolas. "In times like these," his voice became a bit more serious. "I know that you will make it. Our friendship is too strong to be destroyed."

"Aragorn." Legolas too became somber. "Even friendships have to be destroyed some day."

"But not today." Aragorn responded stubbornly.

"Oh, Estel." Legolas whispered. "I know that you want to reach for hope, but sometimes you just need to face the truth. And the truth is, we are many miles away from Rivendell, and do not have any horses. I will never make it."

"Friendship does not waver at a wind." Aragorn quoted Legolas' words by the fire. "And a friendship like ours burns forever, like an everlasting candle."

"But it can still burn in death." Legolas told him.

"Yes." Aragorn consented. "But it won't have to."

There was silence awhile, and all that cold be heard was the tap, tap, tap of them climbing the stairs. It was finally broken by a voice dripping with mirth. "One hundred one."

"Legolas…" Aragorn's hidden threat was also full of amusement.

"I am sorry Strider." Legolas feigned seriousness. "But you did make me laugh."

"Perhaps, perhaps I deserved it." Aragorn teased "But what I should like to know, is what in Middle Earth I did to deserve "you"!"

********

Legolas had no breath left to count the stairs, but he tried to count them in his head. One hundred forty-seven…eight…nine…he could barely count them even in his head anymore. The going had gotten even slower, his body ached even more, and his stamina was draining quickly. He also knew that Aragorn was tiring. He didn't know how bad that cut on the young human's head was, or the ones on his wrists from the tight ropes, but he knew it did not help that he was giving half his strength to Legolas.

"You- cannot keep-" Legolas gasped out, but Aragorn steadied him quickly.

"Sh, try not to speak. You need all your strength to keep from falling over."

"You need it to…Aragorn."

"Yes," he agreed "But not as much as you. Where are we?"

"I have no idea." Legolas sighed.

"Well," Aragorn said, trying to sound cheerful "that is for the best." he was rewarded by a soft laugh from his companion. "Hold on, Legolas." he told him softly. "It cannot be too much longer now."

They traveled on for no one knows how long. Finally, Aragorn caught his first glance at the surface. 

The palest of light spilled down into the inky-black like a drop of water falling through the dry air. Legolas' head drooped, and his eyes were closed in exhaustion. But though he didn't see the light, he caught the faint smell of clean air.

"It is well." He whispered softly "I should like to die outside, under the stars."

"Legolas, you will not-"

"Just let us walk. And breath."

"All right Legolas." He responded gently. "As you wish."

They walked on, but this time there was finally a light at the end of the tunnel. They were walking to somewhere. Getting somewhere.

At long last, after many slips and falls, the two companions broke through a thin layer of brush, and stood in the fresh morning air of Mirkwood. 

Without a word, the friends sunk onto the soft earth, and lay there without speaking. It was again quiet between them, but the silence was welcoming and not quite absolute, with the sounds of Mirkwood's inhabitants stirring all around them, and the leaves rustling in a subtle breeze. All was still, but it was not the deafening silence that had crushed them underground. It was peaceful.

The tranquil silence was rent by Aragorn's soft voice. "We must get to Rivendell."

"No Estel." Legolas whispered "I wish to rest in peace. I cannot if you feared for me to the end. Let us just stay here until- until I must go. We shall remember together, and think together as we once did. It should be as it was from the beginning at the end, Aragorn."

"That is so." Aragorn rose up off the ground, looking around. Then he turned his bright eyes on Legolas. "But it will not end here. Not now. Not yet."

"I will not make it." the elf responded simply "I do not wish you to fight for me Aragorn. Please let me go in peace. In my own land."

"Legolas." Aragorn's voice cracked as he knelt beside the elf. "If I stayed beside you, and did nothing, I would never forgive myself. Please, Legolas. Please let me try to save you, that I might at least feel that I tried."

Legolas sighed, and closed his eyes. "Very well, Estel." He opened his eyes again, and touched Aragorn with silver stare. Aragorn knew he meant more than he said by the name.

"Thank you."

"But I still do not know how we shall ever get there." Legolas pointed out.

Aragorn looked around the huge woods. There was not a whole lot of hope for the situation. "Well, we shall walk that road as we come to it." he grabbed Legolas around the shoulders and helped him to his feet. The elf was very unsteady, but he could stand. 

The two of them walked together through the trees, Legolas' mind on not falling on his friend, Aragorn's on not losing Legolas. He could not die!

Legolas stumbled and sucked in his breath. Aragorn turned in worry on his companion. "Legolas?"

"I am sorry." He gritted "I stepped on something sharp."

Aragorn bent down, counting on Legolas to stand on his own a moment. When the ranger rose again a moment later, he held an arrow in his hands. "Is it familiar Legolas?" he handed the weapon to his friend.

Legolas studied the elvish runes on the side of the well crafted-arrow. "Indeed." He looked up in confusion. "It is one of mine."

Aragorn nodded slowly, trying to recall some memory. When did Legolas shoot an arrow? Then,

"Legolas!"

"What?!"

"When the dwarves attacked. You shot your arrow did you not?"

"I-" Legolas creased his eyebrows trying to remember the hazy fight. "I believe so. I was so frightened, I loosed it without thinking."

"Indeed!" Aragorn nodded "Then we *must* be near our last campsite. That is what we heard in the woods! 'twas the dwarves coming from their hole!"

"And what of it?" Legolas prodded, trying desperately to make his tired mind catch up with Aragorn's. 

"Lets see, it was slanted in the dirt like this…" Aragorn mused to himself, looking in the dirt, too lost in thought to hear Legolas. "…so you must've shot it from that direction." he stood up, and nodded, satisfied.

"What good does it do us if we find the campsite?" the spent elf repeated. 

"Well," Aragorn put an arm around Legolas, and began to march into the woods again. "allow me to ask you this. What use would an underground dwarf have for horses?"

They went on through the woods, not once coming across any sign that dwarves had been through here. Aragorn had suspected this, and commented that these dwarves had done a good job of not being noticed. Not even the wood elves knew of the population just under their feet.

After about ten minutes of steady walking, the two of them broke into the clearing where they'd camped one, maybe two nights ago. Under the ground, Aragorn had lost all track of time.

As soon as they broke into the clearing, Aragorn set Legolas next to the ashes that marked their long-dead fire. The ranger turned, and ran out of the serrate, and into the woods on the other side. "Horthor!" he called "Teli gim-ach nin, sadron eriol!" 

//come if you hear me, faithful one!"

Legolas picked himself off the ground, and turned on his and knees to the old fire-pit. He reached into the ashes, and pulled out a block of white wood streaked with soot. Memories of the battle that took place there just a day or two ago, rushed through his mind. Visions of the monsters he'd supposed to fight with. The ones that had in reality been dwarves…

"Legolas!" Aragorn appeared over the edge of the dirt ditch, holding the reins of Horthor and Lint. He looked down at Legolas holding the splintered bits of his bow, and let go of the reigns, approaching the elf alone. 

"Even if I do survive," Legolas almost whispered "I shall never forget. I cannot forget the monsters, the nightmares, the visions I have seen. I cannot forget my father dieing, or you looking at me in antipathy. These visions shall ever haunt me."

Aragorn knelt beside the downcast elf, and touched his shoulder. "They cannot chase you forever, Legolas. Sometimes we must leave seeing to the heart, remember? And though your eyes are sure of their reality, your heart will know better. Put the nightmares away in your heart. Vision means nothing there."

"'tis an easy thing to say, Estel. But it is so hard to forget such things, and- I do not think I can."

"No. Not alone." Aragorn sat down, and reaching out a soiled hand, brushed Legolas' chin with his fingers. Legolas turned at the gesture to look Aragorn in the eye. "But you have known from the beginning," the human reminded softly "that you are not alone. I will always be here for you Legolas Greenleaf. Always."

Not giving the elf a chance to respond, Aragorn rose again, and motioned to the horses. "Let us go. We must try to reach Rivendell as soon as we can." 

Aragorn mounted Horthor, and turned to Legolas who still sat on the ground. The elf looked up and nodded. Picking himself up off the ground, he staggered over to Lint, and mounted the powerful beast.

"Three hundred thirty-eight."

Aragorn turned in his saddle to look back at Legolas. "What?"

"Three hundred thirty-eight steps on the Light Stairs of Gibil Gûndu." The elf smiled mischievously.

Aragorn raised his eyebrows disapprovingly, but was unable to hide a smile. "I thought you had said you lost count?"

"Now, Strider." Legolas laughed "The tale of 'the elf and human who walked the stairs of Gibil Gûndu' would not be complete without the number of steps they endured."

"True," Aragorn consented "but I shall allow you to retell the tale. I should not wish to be there when it is told."

"Indeed." Legolas returned with a softened smile. 

"Let us be off!" Aragorn called, the moment of mirth causing his spirits to rise as he spoke.

"Let us, Estel." Legolas agreed, and the two took off into the clutches of Mirkwood once more.


	11. Lost to Shadow

****

Hey, guys! Sorry this took so long, but I've had a busy week. BUT, it's here now! :)

Well, Siri, it *might* be over. I mean, after all this, do you really think it's beyond me to end the story with him on death's door? ;) Yeah, well, I mainly put the stairs in because I thought they could use some comic relief. Sarah, actually, was very relieved, because she said it was a rather 'gray story' unless it had more comedy. I mean, heck, Pipin's not till much, much later! ;)Yes! And they're off to Rivendell! (let us hope that Dr. Elrond is on call tonight. ;)

47? Huh? What about 47? What's so interesting about 47, Shmallow, I don't get you. :P

Why, of course, Liliana, Aragorn could feel his legs!……in a um…few hours. ;) Yeah, I guess good ol' Binwen forgot to mention that the Light Stairs were sa-darn LONG! :D

No, Phantom Ranger Fay, your not dumb! I wouldn't expect you to pick up on that right away. Sorry about the cover. Maybe, if you'd like, I can e-mail it to you instead. :) And you are SO right……..angst is good! ;)

*hands Myfanwy a Legolas Kleenex box from Lina's shop* is it really a calmer story? Oh good, glad I could help. :) And of *course* I would do more cliffies! I mean, *glances down the post* errr….much, that is. :D

Well, um…None (sorry, but you didn't put down a name) I've actually previously explained this, but I can tell you, sense you obviously weren't here. It's true that Legolas could have gone to Mirkwood. It was certainly a lot closer, if nothing else! ;) But I think that:

1. Legolas wasn't *that* bad when it started, (at least, they didn't know that he was going to die from this) so Aragorn figured they'd have time to get to Elrond, sense he'd probably have a better idea of what was wrong.

2. "If he cannot," Aragorn responded confidently. "No one can. He has healed you before, Legolas, I do believe he can do it again." **Aragorn obviously had a great deal of faith in Elrond, and like-as-not figured if anyone knew what was wrong, he would.**

3. Who really wants to have Thranduil buzzing around being worried about his dieing son? I mean, they guy is rather fussy enough when his son's on his own two feet, let alone when he's sitting in death's parlor.

Anywayz, that's basically the long and short of it! (closer to the 'long' though…sorry 'bout that. ;)

Well, Rose, I'm glad to see that despite your death wish, you're still enjoying my story! Oh and…um sorry to say that this is the end of the not QUITE cliffies. ;)

*stares blankly a moment, then pats Kellen on the shoulder* I'm…sorry? Man, you are having a rough time. :( Yes yes, stupid elections, stupid headache, stupid arthritis, and stupid creeks with no paddles. *starts singing Randy Stonehill* It's a great big stupid world! ;) Anyhoo, Kellen, tell ya what. I'll help you out, and I promise not to throw the rule book at you ever again. *grins* besides, Myfanwy has it! ;)

Nice to see you, Ashley Welsh! I'm glad you've been enjoying this! I'm afraid that it's drawing to a close, but it's been nice to have so many people, you certainly included. God bless you too! :)

Legolas' sweetie…okay, you get more. :P

Hey, Silver-Kalan! No, this isn't the end…yet. Actually, this is the second to last chapter. :( *sigh* all things must come to end, right? :) Glad the explaination made sense to you! Personally, it confused me, but at least someone knew what he was talking about! ;)

Honest, Artemisa, I'm not trying to kill you!!…..I'm trying to kill Legolas. :P I'm glad you like it despite of the terrible cliffies, though. :)

All right, onto the cha--……..*stares, with an annoyed expression* Lina? This is NOT funny. C'mon, let go of Aragorn, and quit smacking Legolas around. C'mon, hand him over….Aragorn, not Legolas! Yes, I'm serious. No, I'm not going to hurt him!…much! No, I'm kidding. Yes. I promise. THANK you. *sigh* 

Okay, onto the- 'kay, now give Legolas back. Yes, both of them! I KNOW he's your 'baby' but he's my plot device. Hand 'im over. I promise I'll give him back. In one piece. (or at least less than four) Huh? Nothing, I didn't say a thing. :P

OKAY, lets go to it, y'all! ;)

Chapter 11

Lost to Shadow 

It had been hours. Hours that weren't quite hours, but were more like weeks. Or years. It had been long. Too long for Legolas' week body. The sun had risen high in the sky, and now beat down on the two companions as they continued their hard journey towards Rivendell, the Misty Mountains looming up in front of them.

Everything was going in slow motion to Legolas. The sun spun around in circles, and the world beneath him went so fast as he rode, he began to feel as though he was not moving at all, but that the earth moved like a river beneath him. 

"Legolas!" the elf quickly reigned in his horse at the urgent voice. This time he'd gotten closer to hitting a tree then ever.

"I am sorry." He whispered, as he felt Aragorn ride up beside. 

"Do not be sorry." Aragorn murmured softly. "Legolas, let me take you. I would prefer to help you *before* you are on the ground with a broken neck."

"I told you, Estel, I do not-"

"Want to cause me any more trouble." Aragorn finished "I know. But I would rather have more trouble on my hands than have you dead in my arms." He whispered in a softer tone.

Legolas sighed. It was not only the trouble he would cause Aragorn, it was his own foolish pride. He'd already had to be taken care of by the human so many times. He wanted to keep on his own, two feet! 

Then, he lifted his gaze to Aragorn, and as the ranger's soft, blue gaze touched Legolas'. He realized that despite how he felt about being an invalid all the time, he didn't mind being assisted by this human. Perhaps he would have felt differently had it been another human, even another elf. But not Aragorn. No, Aragorn was different, as he'd proven from the beginning. Aragorn was special.

"Please Legolas?" The young ranger in front of him begged softly "Let me help?"

The elf nodded wordlessly, and let go of Lint's reigns. Aragorn quickly attached the reigns to his saddle horn, and moved Horthor a little closer to Legolas. 

Legolas stood in his stirrups and leaned over towards Aragorn. The human reached out to him, and grabbed him by the waist. Legolas grasped Aragorn's arms to steady himself, and moved his left foot carefully out of the stirrup, moving it slowly to the front of Horthor's saddle. In one, quick motion, he slipped his foot on the other side of the saddle, pulled his right foot out of the stirrup, let go of Aragorn's arms, and slid into the saddle.

Aragorn steadied him, and then let go of his waist. "You all right?"

"As all right as I shall get." came the rueful response. 

Aragorn nodded, taking the pained reply as an answer. "Niro leem, Horthor." He called to the brilliant beast, and the horse took off through the wide landscape again.

**********

They'd ridden for hours, not speaking, barely thinking, just moving. Aragorn almost didn't notice when they reached the High Pass, and their crossing didn't stay in his mind long. It was too full of other things to pay much heed to their journey over the high mountains pass.

They rode on across the steep pathways, and as the sun began to set, Aragorn felt Legolas shivering in front of him. He didn't try to talk to him, he knew the elf was not doing at all well, and why.

True, the sheer comfort of hearing Aragorn speaking in elvish, the words that he'd spoken to Legolas when the elf had begun to slip away into darkness, they had been enough for the him to build shields around his mind. But shields or no, the Bengwiil was still killing Legolas' mind. They had to go faster.

They sped at a quicker pace through the treacherous mountains, but all of a sudden Aragorn felt Legolas lurch forwards, and it was then that he realized his heart was beating way too fast. He was shaking uncontrollably, and his breath was barely being gasped out.

"Hold…on." Aragorn whispered, his voice betraying fatigue he hadn't noticed there before. He had no breath to comfort Legolas, so he tried to just hold on to him.

Aragorn leaned forwards on Horthor, enabling him to go faster on the horse, and forcing Legolas, who sat in front of him, to lean over with him. Perhaps it would steady his breathing. Aragorn could only hope.

Legolas suddenly jerked this way and that, and began to mumble. "No…no please. I must know."

It was then that Aragorn further understood the events of that night when Legolas had first been injected with Bengwiil. Somewhere in the back of his deranged mind, he'd known that he had to know comfort to build a shield against this poison.

"Legolas." Aragorn breathed heavily. "Gwiil." 

It was all he could manage. Legolas must have been slipping away into dreams of the world he'd been in just a day ago.

Legolas' eyes snapped open. "Estel?"

Aragorn did his best to lean around Legolas' shoulder to look at him. The elf glanced at his friend, and to Aragorn's horror, his eyes snapped shut. "No please! Estel…no."

Aragorn sat up straight again, and felt tears running involuntarily down his face. Looking over at Lint, he realized the great beast could not keep up with Horthor, without the luxury of moving freely. It appeared to slow Horthor as well, and so Aragorn loosed the reigns, and allowed Lint to run wherever. The horse did not give up on chasing Horthor, though, and seemed to understand his master was dieing. 

With all the breath in him, Aragorn called the need for hurry to Horthor.

"Niro leem!" He gasped. The fact the Legolas had slipped into his nightmarish world, caused an overwhelming sense of discouragement to build up in his heart.

Doing his best to move with Horthor, and soften the rough galloping for Legolas. He could not die! He *could* not!

They traveled on and on. Aragorn desperately wished he could whisper some sort of comfort to Legolas, but it was either slow enough to comfort him, or ride on, hoping to use the speed to reach Rivendell. He counted hopefully on the latter.

The sun had set, and the stars began to dance around the sky, but Aragorn didn't have time to notice. The moon rose high in the sky, and shined mercifully on the path in front of Horthor's hooves, as if it guided the desperate human beneath it.

Aragorn's heart was pounding so hard, he could almost hear it over the hammering horse's hooves. It also felt as tough it had beaten itself into his throat rather than his chest, and breathing became quite painful.

Aragorn rode by unconscious memory only, knowing somehow he'd get to Rivendell. He had to.

All of a sudden, he realized that the mountain path he rode on now, was a road to Rivendell. He *knew* it was! And soon, he finally saw the Bruinen up ahead. Putting all he had left into the effort, he raced towards it, and began to follow it South-West, to where it would curve around and cross the House of Elrond.

Just as Legolas' body began to thrash in pain and fear, as Horthor began to tire beneath him, to the point that he may not keep running, as Aragorn felt as though he might lose either his mind or consciousness, he saw the torchlight that marked the front gate to the House of Elrond.

"Father!" He gasped to the closed doors. Pulling Horthor to a dead halt, and feeling the beast almost fall over at the sudden stop, he slipped off him, steadying Legolas on the way. "Father!" He called again, and this time the stone doors opened.

"Estel?" The elvan lord stepped out from one of the doors. The fact that he was in morning clothes, and that he, not one of his servants had answered the gate, and therefore must've been near it, not in bed, was a clear indication that it was indeed early morning now, rather than night.

"Estel! What are you doing here?!" He cried upon seeing his adopted son standing beside an almost dead horse. His dark gaze settled on Legolas, slumped over on the Horthor's back. Face pale, breath shallow, body limp.

"What happened." He demanded gravely.

"Bengwiil." Aragorn managed to gasp "Two…two doses." 

Elrond, in all of Aragorn's time growing up with him, had never looked this horrified. Or if he had, Aragorn in his present state could not remember it. The elf looked as if he was going to say something, but thought better of it, and simply nodded. "Bring him in." He said bleakly.

Aragorn knew what Elrond had been planning to say. He could not heal this illness. The human put his thoughts away, and turned to Legolas, gently lifting him from the horse.

"Estel." Came a soft whisper. Aragorn looked down in surprise, for he had thought his friend to be unconscious. "Estel," Legolas repeated "Hantach, nin mellon. Maethach. Maethach…" 

//thank you, my friend. You tried. You tried…//

Aragorn shook his head in grief. "Legolas." He choked. "I do not- want to lose you." tears ran down his cheeks as he felt Legolas slip off the edge of insomnia and into darkness. Whether of sleep or death Aragorn did not know.

The human looked up, pain streaking his blue vision. "Father." He pleaded of the elf in the doorway.

Elrond moved swiftly beside him, and touched Legolas' neck with his slender fingers. A moment passed, then the lord looked up. "He is alive. But you must be strong, Estel. I do not know if I can heal him."

"Please try." Begged the other softly.

"Here." Elrond leaned over and took Legolas from Aragorn, seeing at once the ranger had no strength to carry his friend. "Follow me." 

The two went swiftly into the house, and Elrond turned into the nearest bedroom, laying Legolas on the bed. Quickly, he pulled back the collar of the elf's tunic, and inspected the wound on his neck. Aragorn flinched as he did so, remembering how he'd caused the wound by not responding the axe-bearing dwarf immediately.

Then Elrond's fingers moved to a jagged piece of iron pointing out of the wound. "It is a poisoned barb." He looked up at Aragorn. "We must remove it or we cannot draw the poison out."

Aragorn could have hit himself. So it had been the poisoned barb that caused the wound in Legolas' neck. His body's healing skills had taken care of the slight axe-wound. And then in the tunnel he had thrashed and groaned…well, of course! Aragorn had touched the very spot where this deadly poison was doing it's work. 

"Estel!" Aragorn tore himself away from the regretful memory to look at his father again. "Go. Fetch me athelas, a basin of water and some damp cloths. We must slow the poison. Quickly my son!"

Aragorn nodded, and took off down the hall, knowing exactly where to go to find the needed supplies. 

When he returned to the bedroom, he found Elrond standing over Legolas, his hand on the young elf's forehead. "Gwiil, Legolas. I'm Elrond. Lasto beth nin, tolo dan na galad." 

//peace legolas. I am Elrond. Hear my voice, come back to the light."

Aragorn was silent as his father did his best to call Legolas out of shadow. The lord looked up at Aragorn and nodded. Aragorn returned the gesture, and crushed the Athelas, sprinkling it into the water. The sudden aroma calmed his body, but not his restless heart and mind. He only wished he could breath it in deeply enough to reach those secluded places.

He approached the bed, setting the basin of Athelas water down on the bed, and handing the rag to Elrond. His father then dipped the damp rag into the basin, and lifted it above the wound on Legolas' neck. He looked up sternly at Aragorn. "He is not going to like this at all. You must calm him."

Aragorn nodded, but a look of confusion came over him. "How?"

Elrond shook his head and sighed. "Any way you can."

Aragorn sat on the other side of the bed beside Legolas. "Ea na gwiiil, Legolas. Uuyech er."

//be at peace, legolas. You are not alone.//

Elvish was the only thing Aragorn could think of to comfort his friend, and he held to it tightly.

Elrond placed the warm cloth on Legolas' wound, and the room erupted. Legolas jerked and moaned, and murmurs of nonsense soon became shouts. "No!" He cried, shaking all over. "I know do not live comfort! Take it from the dead places, I cannot follow." His voice trailed off in agony.

Aragorn shook, but tried again to comfort him. "Eam layaa mellon, Legolas." 

//I am your friend, legolas.//

Elrond dipped the cloth again, and then touched Legolas with it. Again, the prince writhed and moaned, trembling all over.

Aragorn repeated some Elvish, but this time it was interrupted by a loud bang as the hall door was flung open. A pitter-patter of feet came down the hall, and then the sons of Elrond appeared in the door.

"Father!" Elladan gasped. "We were hunting, and saw horses coming down the-"

"Estel!" Elrohir interrupted, looking down at his disheveled and distraught younger brother.

Then the twin gazes swept to the bed. "What-" Elladan began solemnly, but Elrond answered with a simple word. 

"Bengwiil."

The two looked dumb-founded a moment, but Elrond soon broke the spell that this word had apparently cast. "I need your help."

"Of course father." Ellandan responded softly.

"I need you to hold Legolas down. Aragorn? Keep on talking to him."

"All right." Aragorn responded hoarsely. 

The twins moved on either side of the bed, and leaned over Legolas as well. Elrond nodded to them, and Aragorn began speaking in grey tongue again.

Elrond dipped the cloth once again, and placed it on Legolas' wound. But this time, he gripped the barb between his fingers, and through the cloth, pulling on it gently. Gentle though it was, Legolas' body protested violently. He thrashed, and writhed, and once again started shouting non-sense. 

Elrohir reached down, and pressed Legolas' shoulders down to the bed, while Elladan moved around and grabbed his ankles. 

Aragorn tried desperately to keep talking, but he suddenly couldn't remember any elvish. His frantic mind roved about and finally lighted on something. 

"A Elbereth Gilthoniel, silivren penna míriel" He didn't have enough breath to sing the words, and indeed his mind was too troubled to remember the tune, but he spoke the song softly to his friend, letting his own memories give the words feeling. 

Even as he spoke "o menel aglar elenath! Na-chaered palan-díriel" with every word, he really whispered "I do not want to lose you, my dear friend." and the soft plea soaked into the sleeping elf's mind. Soothed it. Calmed it. If only momentarily, there was peace.

Then, Elrond finally pulled the barb free. This time, Legolas did not shout incoherent pleas, but let out a high, animal-like howl. An opaque black liquid spilled freely from the opened wound, and Elrond soaked it up as best he could with another cloth. The Bengwiil poison was leaving Legolas' body. Aragorn continued to sooth his thrashing friend, but new hope seemed to shine in the room. 

The black poison continued to spill, and then crimson blood ran from the cut. Elrond's face went pale. 

"Father?" Aragorn's voice was apprehensive. "What is it?"

"That cannot be all the poison. Not with two doses of Bengwiil." Elrond looked up at Elladan and Elrohir who were shocked when their father mentioned two doses of the deadly poison. 

The lord obviously didn't want to look his youngest son in the eye, and this worried Aragorn greatly. Finally, his father locked gazes with him. "The poison is too far. It has completely infected his mind. If I try to draw it out, he might die anyway, or if he lives, he will not be the same."

Aragorn's heart sank through the floor. Legolas couldn't die. He couldn't! The human did not do well at hiding his tears, though he tried. He didn't like to cry in front of his family. Especially his brothers, but he couldn't help it. He pushed the tears away, and tried to soothe his hurting heart.

"I am sorry my son." Elrond said softly.

"No." Aragorn looked up, a calm light in his eyes. "We must try. Please father. I shall never forgive myself if I let him die."

"It is not your fault, Estel." Elladan reproved gently from the end of the bed. "You could not have helped any of this."

"But perhaps I can now." Aragorn pleaded. "Father, please."

Elrond finally nodded reluctantly. As much as he wanted to save the life of Legolas, and his son's heart, he did not want to raise false hopes in Aragorn. But he would try and save both of them if he could.

The elf dipped two cloths in athales this time. He looked up sternly, looking at the twins. "You will need to hold him tight. Very tight" the two nodded, and Aragorn swallowed hard. Scooting forward on the bed more, he gripped Legolas' hands in his own, and held them tightly, whispering a tuneless song again.

Elrond placed one cloth against the cut, and another against Legolas' forehead. Then, his lips began to move in a silent mantra, and he closed his eyes tight.

Sure enough, Legolas began to groan and thrash about. But as Elrond got farther into the chant, Legolas slowly became wilder. He jerked and cried, trying to break free of Elladan and Elrohir's grip on him. The twins merely tried to hold him still while Aragorn bravely persevered through another song, and tried desperately to think of another.

More poison seeped out of the cut, but this liquid was almost not liquid. It seemed so coagulated and the stench of it almost drowned out the lovely odor of athales. 

Aragorn felt Legolas' body tense completely, and his hands shook and felt clammy to his rough fingers. His fair face was pale, and his lips began to turn light azure. His brain was losing oxygen.

Aragorn desperately wanted to ask how he was doing, and if he was going to survive, but Elrond was so deep in concentration he didn't say a word. He instead turned his gaze to Elrohir in front of him. His brother tried to look reassuring, but he knew as well as everyone else in that room, that it did not look good.

Legolas gasped for breath, and his body shook uncontrollably, causing the twins to get a firmer hold on him. Aragorn suddenly realized that he'd been saying the same three lines to Lennathon over and over. But his restless mind refused to remember the rest.

Elrond was drawing more and more of Legolas' blood out of his tired body, trying desperately to get at the poison. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open, and a great sigh left his body, as though he'd been holding it in for the past hour. He looked up at Aragorn's anxious stare, and slowly nodded. "It is gone." He pulled the cloth by Legolas' cut away, and it dripped with the evil poison.

He rewetted the other cloth, and put it over Legolas' pale forehead again. "I have done all I can, Aragorn." Elrond told him softly. "Let us just pray that he wakes up. But-" He hesitated a moment "I cannot pretend this is very serious. I do not have high hopes of him awakening. In fact-" Elrond sighed, and turned away a moment. "Aragorn, I do not think he will awaken." 

Aragorn nodded, and held even tighter to his friend's hands. "I understand." He whispered. 

Elrond nodded, and turned from the room. "I will leave you alone." 

The twins nodded as well, and started to follow their father. Elladan turned before leaving. "Estel, are you going to be all right?"

"Yes, thank you." the other murmured.

His brother merely nodded again, and followed Elrond and Elrohir out. 

Aragorn sat a long moment. So was this his goodbye to Legolas? Was this the end? He had to wake up. He *must* wake up. Aragorn's eyes swept over Legolas' pale features. His white face, blue lips…was he ever coming back?

**********

Elrond turned in the hall to the twins. "Go get your brother a blanket, and make him some tea. I have a feeling he is tired and will need rest. Of body and heart."

"Yes father." Elladan nodded. "I believe you are right."

"Father?" Elrohir stood beside the lord, and looked hesitant. "Is- is Legolas Greenleaf really going to die?"

Elrond sighed. "Who can know? But I am afraid my son-" He shook his head slowly. "Yes, I am afraid that he will die. Unless some miracle presents itself."

Elladan sighed and looked away. "Dear Estel."

"Indeed." Elrond responded softly. "Why don't you and your brother see to his tea?"

"Yes father." Elrohir sighed shakily, and the two took off down the hall.   


Elrohir stood a moment in front of the bedroom door, and then noticed something. His keen elvan ears picked up a soft sound coming from within the room. Quietly, he opened the door to the bedroom, and walked a step or two in. The sight almost rent his heart in two. 

His son, Estel, was sitting alone, and crying his heart out. The human turned towards the opened door, and saw Elrond.

"Oh father." He whispered shakily, but he didn't need another word. Elrond moved swiftly beside him, and sat on the bed.

"Tell me what is wrong." He murmured, though he already knew. He touched Aragorn's cheek softly, brushing it with his knuckles.

"L-Legolas. I can- cannot feel his h-hear-heartbeat…oh father, I do not want to lose h-him!"

Erlond, wanting desperately to mend the boy's broken heart, reached forward, and held his son in his arms. "Sh…ea na gwiil, Estel. Nin hiiin." 

//sh…be at peace, estel. My child.//

Aragorn sank into the words, letting the stress of the day, of the evening, the fear, the pain, all of it run freely in the form of bitter tears. 

Elrond felt the shoulder of his robes become damp, but did not care. He held his no-longer-young son, like a child in his arms, letting him have his cry. He also felt hot tears roll down his own cheeks, touching his son's head. Unable to hold back the grief at seeing his son's world torn in two, the elvan lord allowed himself to cry with the boy.

Aragorn felt strange, acting like a child with his father again, but it was a good feeling to be held. To hear those soft words he'd repeated over and over to Legolas be spoken gently to him. His heart relaxed, his body slackened, his mind went blissfully blank.

**********

Elladan and Elrohir moved into the dark bedroom, one carrying a tray of food and tea, and the other a blanket. They found their father, sitting on the edge of the bed, holding Estel in his arms. Elrond looked up, and smiled, and the twins were surprised to see tears glistening his eyes as he did so.

'Your brother is asleep." he told them, lifting Estel's limp form off his lap, and into his arms. The three elves went down the hall, and into another bedroom. Laying the sleeping human softly on the bed, they covered him with the blanket.

"Maer fuin, nin tithen Estel." Elrond whispered softly, kissing Aragorn gently on the forehead.

//good night, my little estel.//

They left the room and stood a moment in the hall. 

"Legolas will be dead by morning." Elladan sighed despondently, looking out the dark window.

"I fear you are right, my son." Elrond nodded.

"Whatever will we tell Estel?" Elrohir lamented.

Elrond shook his head. "I wish I knew."

*********

Darkness…deep darkness of forever sleep. It was taking him. Far, far away. But somewhere deep in the shadows a voice called. Far away, even farther than the shadows intended destination for him, a voice came. Like a gentle breeze scattering worry to the four winds, a voice from the past called him. 

"Friendship does not waver at a wind…"

****

Well guys, onto the final chapter! :)


	12. The Everlasting Candle

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Hullo, everyone! Well, here it is, the 12th and final chapter. *sigh* I dunno about all my readers, but I had a lot of fun with this story, even if Legolas didn't. *evil grin* I hope you guys enjoyed this as much as your reviews make it sound! ;)

Whoah…you know what, Cheysuli, you've convinced me. I think maybe I will think about a sequel…thank you for the idea, I hadn't even thought of it! Tell you what, you'll be the first I tell if I write it, kay? ;) Thanks for the idea!!!

Well I'm SORRY Hannah, but as you said: we are running out of uncanny material. Angst is a goldmine for our favorite uncannies! Don't look at me like that. :P No, I'm not going to go for Titanic!…much! :D

Oh, and sorry about your darling baby, Lina. No, really! I didn't kill him anyways…just his best friend the world…sorry, sorry. Are you going to let go of him? Trust me, Lina, he'll never get over this unless I can post with him. Tell you what. You can huggle and cuddle your baby Estel while I finish responding to these reviews, deal? ;)

Whoah, Keyleigh, I had no idea it was that enthralling! I'm glad you liked it, and hope your fear-gripped chair is all right. ;) And um…yes, right about now, a living Legolas would be rather nice, wouldn't it. *sigh*

BEFORE your imagination runs away with you, Gwydolen? Are you sure it hasn't already? :P J/K, it's an interesting idea…hm, supernatural eh? Not exactly beyond the elves, I must say, but I didn't have that in mind, no.

Yipes! *ducks ff.net rule book* I say, Myfanwy, that was unkind! :P And you don't have to go cry in the corner…it'd be much more conventional to just cry out here where you can read the most recent post! :D *grin*

Well, Julia (thanks, indecently, for the name :) I figured you'd feel that way by the time you reached more recent chapters. The only reason I went into greater detail, was because you were right in the way that technically, at that point at least, Aragorn couldn't have known it would be better to go to Rivendell, and you think he would have just gone back to Mirkwood. Anyways, that's why I bothered to explain my reasons for having him travel 10-billion miles just so he could go to *his* dad instead of Legolas'. :)

Hey ElvenFlower! It's really cool to have another Elvish fan around! (despite the bow and arrow, even :) I know, I'm mean and left all in the lurch. But this should help (least I hope, seeing it's the last post!) And as for your story, I went over and read what you've got so far. It's really cool! No, honest, I liked it a lot! You're extremely descriptive, and man alive, your dialog is SO eloquent! Why again do you need an editor? ;)

WOOOOOOAAAAHHHH!!!!!!!………..calm DOWN GolanDays! I mean it's not like I've killed off the best character ever…….oh…well, there's always Aragorn. ;) And sorry, but I can't answer any of your fervently expressed questions. I know, I'm mean terrible and a horrid person. But hey! At least I'm posting, right? :D Here. *hands GoldanDays an oxygen mask and tank* there, that should help. ;)

*tries in vein to wake little elf up* oh my. Sorry about that. Gosh, am I really a wonderful author? Ya know, despite the terrible cliffy that involved Legolas' timely end? Hm. Maybe it's better that you're not awake to answer that. ;)

Hullo, Irishelf, and I don't blame your parents for not enjoying your spouts of insanity. It sounds quite familiar! ;) Yeah, that was a authorized CLIFFY and so sorry about that. And, well if you enjoy stories where Legolas, as you put it "almost dies" than you should read Cassia and Siobhan's Mellon Chronicles…heck, even if you *don't* like stories like that, you should read them! They are just awesome. :)

Wow, Liliana, I hadn't expected to make anyone cry! I'm sorry, and yet glad it was good enough for that! As for his lips turning blue, you're right in that it's due to a lack of oxygen. But he *did* have a lack of oxygen, because he was gasping and crying out so much, he didn't have a chance to breath normally. As for the latter comment…I have absolutely NO idea. ;)

Whoah, Kellen, thank you! I'm SO glad you enjoyed it that much. Golly, I had no idea anyone would be that interested in my writing. And as for *your* writing, your right. You don't write half as well…you write *twice* as well. I mean really, I LOVE your stuff! *starts pushing people towards It Rains Every Day* Go on, go on, you've GOT to read it. Of course, but absolute favorite is probably Any Other Way. *giggle* LOL!

And yes. No more throwing ff.net book. *looks from Myfanwy, to reflection* riiight? Oh good. :P

Aaaah yes, to Sliver-Kalan, Incoherent, Astaldocalwen, and anyone else who asked about Legolas' um…still-existing stats….I'm afraid um…well, I'll tell you this. It's not TOO bad in the end. Lets just say that, eh? Really sorry if you don't like the ending.

Well, once again, I'd like to thank everyone for contributing with your posts! I had a wonderful time hearing thoughts on my story from other people. I'll read any posts for this last chapter, though I'm afraid I won't be able to respond to them, because I don't have another chapter to put those responses on. But if you have any questions, or comments you'd like responses to, you can e-mail them to me at:

**Evenstar47@hotmail.com**

****

Heck, if you just want to e-mail me for the fun of it, feel free! :) Just, if you could, when you first send an e-mail to me, put "Iston" or your fan fiction name in the header, so I can tell your e-mail from junk mail. (because, like as not, I won't be able to recognize your e-mail address) :)

Also, if anyone's interested, I'm writing another story (though a much shorter one) that I've now started posting, called Memories of Rose. True, it's a very different genre, and I'm not sure how many Aragorn/Legolas fans will be interested, seeing it's a Rosie/Sam fic, but just FYI.

Well, here it goes! The last post of all. (Lina, you done saying goodbye to Estel yet?) 

The post goes ever on and on…

Chapter 12

The Everlasting Candle

Aragorn's first thought when he woke up was 'Why isn't Horthor moving?' then he realized he was no longer speeding on his horse, and his mind fought hard remember what had happened last night. Then, in one, unwelcome rush, it came to him.

Legolas.

"Please…" He croaked to the empty room around him "What happened?"

There was at first no response, then he felt a cool cloth on his forehead. It was Elrond.

"Please." He repeated. "I must know."

Elrond picked up the cloth, and Aragorn heard him dip it into water, then felt the cool on his head again. He was avoiding it. Aragorn's heart shuddered to hear the answer anyway. If Elrond refused to tell him, Legolas was most certainly- he must be…dead.

"I shall never forgive myself." he whispered. "I did not save him."

He felt Elrond put a hand on his own, and he heard a sad sigh. 

"Have you informed Thranduil? I suppose I should. It was my fault-" Then Aragorn realized something. The hand on his own was smaller than Elrond's. Elrohir perhaps?

He slowly opened his eyes, and nearly jumped out of bed!

"L-L-Le-"

"Legolas, Estel." His friend smiled "Legolas Greenleaf. Have no fear, I do not return to haunt your life." 

Aragorn gawked. "But- how?"

"I shall explain later when I know what I plan to say. At the moment though, my mind is still getting used to working, and I cannot think straight all the time. I have had two days to get it working, and it is still slothful."

Aragorn still couldn't believe his eyes. "I- I don't know what to say…"

Legolas shrugged. "Say nothing, my friend." he reached out a welcoming hand, and a little hesitantly, Aragorn took it.

Laughing, Legolas pulled him into a hug, in which Aragon rested a few moments. "I thought I had lost you. I thought- I thought I-"

"I know Estel, I know." the embrace tightened in reassurance.

For a brief moment, Aragorn didn't know whether he should laugh for joy, or brake down in thankful tears. Instead, he pulled Legolas even closer to him, and whispered, in a voice choked with the suppressed laughter, and barely controlled tears, "I am so, *so* glad you are back, by friend. Finally back." 

"As am I, Estel." Legolas sighed elatedly. "As am I."

The door flew open, and Elrohir came in, smiling widely. "Oh good! I told Elladan that Legolas would come see you, before you got out of bed to see him." He told Aragorn jubilantly "But he said that you would get out of bed if it killed you to see Legolas." He slouched into an arm chair, flinging his legs over the arm. "I win!"

Just then, Elladan appeared in the open doorway. "Legolas!" He groaned good-naturedly "Look what you did. Now I have to brew the morning tea!"

His twin laughed, and fixed him with a impudent stare. "Correct! Now off you go."

Elladan shook his head, and sat down on the bed. "Unfortunately for you, I made Estel's tea last night, and father wants you to make the morning tea."

"What?" Elrohir demanded sourly "But Estel did not *drink* the tea you brewed last night!"

"That is so," Elladan agreed "But I did make it."

Aragorn couldn't hold in the laughter any longer, and he and Legolas both chortled at the twin's comical behavior.

The group were once again joined, this time by Elrond. "How do you feel Estel?" he asked, completely relieved to see color in his son's cheeks again.

"I am well *now* father." the human responded, smiling over at Legolas.

Elrond nodded. "It is well." He turned from pleasure to disapproval at seeing the twins. "What are you arguing about?"

"What, father, gives you reason to think we are arguing?"

Elrond sighed. "What reason do I have to think otherwise?" he responded flatly.

"Hmm…" Elrohir thought a moment. "Well, Elladan says that-"

"Is this about the tea?"

"Uuhh…" Elrohir gave his father an uneasy glance. "Yes?" he guessed.

The elvan lord shook his head. "By the Valar, at this rate, I might as well have Estel fetch his own tea!"

"No, no, father. I will get it." Elladan stood.

"Oh, so you will prove better than I?" Elrohir snapped, unable to hide his smile.

"Very well then, brother, you may fetch it."

"Oh, well, make me do it all!"

"You two!" Elrond thundered, but he could not hide the mirth inside either. For, if nothing else, Aragorn and Legolas were both laughing again. "Honestly," He continued "You two have enough foolishness to fill all the minds in Hobbiton!"

"Perhaps," Elrohir consented, "but our foolishness does have a purpose."

"Indeed?" Elrond and Elladan said simultaneously, a doubtful air about both.

"Well, if we work hard enough at it, we might get Estel out of bed. You know, like at Dahast's house-"

"Elrohir!" Aragorn exclaimed, still laughing. Elladan was now laughing as well. 

"Remember? How you laughed so hard you fell off-"

"off the bed?" Elladan finished, because Elrohir was laughing too hard to do so.

"It was a *hanging* bed. It was *not* funny." He told a mirthful Legolas, and then turned back to his brothers. "It was *painful*!"

"You laughed, did you not?" Elrohir pointed out. 

"Yes," Aragorn admitted "About two hours later. You know, when I was conscious and had lost the headache!"

"Where is father?" Elladan asked, wiping tears away, and looking around the room.

"I think-" Legolas tried to hold back further laughter "I think he left to brew the tea."

This, of course, drove even more sniggers out of the twins, and soon had Legolas beside himself with laughter again.

Aragorn smiled broadly at the three. It had, of course, not been *that* funny, but it was such a relief to be laughing at all again, they wanted to make the best of it. Probably why Elrond had left them to it rather then scold them as usual. The time for solemnity and contemplation were over, and now they felt their right to laughter and happiness. Yes, even frivolity. 

And the moment they began to laugh for the first time, in a seemingly endless while, Legolas and Aragorn could almost hear the carefree feeling, sweeping through the room and telling them it was all right. It was all over, and yet only the beginning. "Laugh now." It said "Oh, do laugh!" 

*********

Aragorn snuck downstairs, and into the dining hall, looking a long while at the table. He sighed, running his callused hands over it's smooth surface; letting his fingers brush over the intricate design on the side. So familiar, so calming.

A voice that he'd expected to hear came from the next room. "You have been through much."

"Indeed."

There was silence a moment. "And you wish to speak of it."

Aragorn looked up gratefully. "Yes, father, I do."

Elrond nodded, and sat in a high, stone chair across the table, setting the tea intended for his son aside. "Then speak, Estel. Be open as you wish."

Aragorn sighed, sinking into another chair. "I am weary of trying. Of failing. Of worrying. And now that it is all over, my heart is *still* weary."

"It is to be expected, Estel."

"I know." he responded softly "I know. And it will pass with time. But now I worry not for myself, for I know the extent of my strength, and of my ability to handle it. But I-"

"Ah." Elrond cut him of gently. "You worry for your friend still. Of what scars this has left on Legolas."

"Yes." came the disheartened reply. "I am afraid for him, father. Before we rode out for Rivendell, he said that his nightmares would always haunt him. I tried my best to encourage him, but- but I could not ignore his point. He has been through even more than I. He has lost all he holds dear, and shaken hands with death twice. I still do not know how he pulled through last night. Do you?"

"Indeed," Elrond responded softly, "but that is a discussion for you and he. Although he did his best, I do not believe he told me everything. You two are close," He shook his head in emphasis. "Very close. And I believe that most of the explanation can and should be meant for your ears only. " he nodded to the boy across from him, bidding him to continue.

Aragorn nodded, accepting the momentary explanation, and continued. "He has lost everything, and gained everything just to lose it again. Even his father…" his voice trailed off, as he caught a sad look from Elrond. "You know of what Legolas saw about his father?"

"Yes." Elrond sighed. "And this Bodruith that Legolas told me of is not the first to bring up the fight for Bengwiil. Only the first to find it. Yes, Estel, it is true what he said about the dispute over the 'healing' plant. It is also true that Bodruith's uncle, Fulien, came to Thranduil, begging for the plant. But Thranduil did not have any Bengwiil in his possession.

"After Minaeg died, he did indeed have it destroyed. *All* of it. Save, of course, the bushel that Bodruith stumbled across in the spider's lair, for the elves did not risk a visit there. You see, as I have already informed Legolas, his father was not being heartless. He did not have the plant in his possession, and Fulien merely refused to believe it. He poisoned his nephew's mind with stories of how the hardened elves had not saved the boy's father. 

"I am also told of Bodruith's death." Elrond shook his head sadly. "It is indeed a tragedy. The grieving son had hoped to cure his own aching heart, and a year ago had eaten the slightest bit of Bengwiil. I am sure you know from Legolas, that it gave him no comfort. He stabbed himself, hoping to find relief elsewhere. In death."

Aragorn nodded mutely, loathed to relive the moments with Bodruith in the underground halls. "I feel for him," He began, and felt his father's eyes on him. "but how could he? How, when he knew the deep pain the plant caused, could he inflict this pain purposefully on another? Another son, no less."

Elrond sighed, leaning back in his chair. "It is strange how the mind works. Perhaps he believed that avenging his father would be a comfort he could see, even in his unnatural, nightmarish world. But alas! Even that was not enough for him."

Elrond glanced down at his son, and saw the human nod, trying to look as though he were listening. The lord shook his head slowly, knowing Estel's mind had not once strayed from his friend. He sighed softly, and leaned over the table. "Your mind is still troubled, my son. What have you to still be concerned about?" 

Aragorn also sighed, and looked up at his father. "I must confess, though he has pulled through, he shall not be the same. Will- will Legolas ever truly heal?"

A loud crash sounded from out in the hall.

"Oh now you've done it, Elrohir! You practically *threw* him down the stairs!"

"I did *not*!"

"You should have let *me* help him down. You *know* he cannot walk down the stairs very well yet, and you are only making it worse!"

"I most certainly am *not*! He tripped!"

"Oh indeed! Blame it on the poor elf who cannot stand up and hit you for doing so…" 

"I beg your pardon?"

"Oh- oh forgive me, Legolas. You all right?"

"Oh yes. Considering Elrohir dropped me down the stairs, I am feeling quite well!"

"For goodness sake! I did *not*!"

Legolas high, sincere laughter rang from the staircase out in the hall. It was soon followed by Elladan's chuckle, and the two almost drowned out Elrohir's protests as he helped Legolas off the stone staircase.

Elrond picked up the forgotten tea kettle, and looked down at his son, who was already smiling at the unseen commotion in the hall. "Yes, Estel. I do believe he will back to normal very soon." He glanced out at the stairs, and Aragorn watched his face turn to good-natured disproval at whatever was happening in the hall. The look was soon accompanied by a dull thud, and another chorus of laughter. "That is, if your brothers do not kill him first."

**********

Aragorn mounted Horthor, and gripped his reigns tightly. He looked over his shoulder, and saw Legolas climb on the faithful Lint. They had spent two relaxing days in Rivendell, but it was time to go back. Thranduil would be worried about them.

Aragorn had bidden farewell to the twins, and could see Legolas doing the same behind him. Elladan murmured something that earned him laughter from Legolas, and playful cuff on the shoulder from Elrohir.

Aragorn smiled, and looked down beside him. Elrond looked up at him, and returned the smile. "Farewell Estel." He said softly, putting a hand on the human's knee.

"Farwell father. Thank you for everything." He glanced at Legolas again, who was leaning over Lint's neck, and telling Elrohir something, whilst grinning at Elladan. "For you have given me everything." he cocked his head towards Legolas.

"And am ready and willing to give you more." Elrond told him smiling. 

"I know." Aragorn nodded, and reached down to touch his father's hand. "Namàrië."

"Namàrië." came the gentle response, and Elrond turned to the steps of Rivendell.

"Thank you for all you have done for me, Lord Elrond." Legolas bowed slightly.

Elrond nodded. "May you live in peace, walk in joy, and stray from danger, son of Thranduil."

"I shall try." Legolas responded, smiling.

Aragorn leaned over the side of his horse, and kicked at a saddle bag. "Elladan, what is this?"

"Rations." He responded innocently. "For your journey."

"But this is far more than we need to get to Mirkwood."

"And through it." Added Elrohir with a barely suppressed chuckle. 

Aragorn glanced over his shoulder, and caught a hidden smile on Legolas' face.

He groaned. "Does *no one* think I can hunt?"

"Oh we are sure of your capabilities to hit *something* with a bow and arrow." Elladan assured.

"Well thank you." Aragorn responded flatly.

"But the trouble is," Legolas chuckled "You cannot *eat* trees."

That being the last straw Aragorn whirled around and took off after the already fleeing elf.

"Namàrië father! Namàrië my brothers!" He called back during his pursuit of Legolas.

"Namàrië!" Legolas called as well, swerving around the next corner and out of sight.

Elrond shook his head as he watched them go. That was joy, and somehow, even when infected with Bengwiil, it had accompanied Legolas. And with a friend like Estel, it always would.

**********

The companions rode towards Mirkwood, leaving the Misty Mountains behind them. They gained the top of a hill, where they could see a misty forest before them, and the towering mountains behind. Night had crept over them, and the stars shone brightly above their heads.

Legolas lifted his head, and looked at the brilliant stars, sighing sadly. "I am sorry Estel."

Aragorn tore his gaze from the sky to look at his friend. "For what?"

"For all the pain I caused you."

"Oh Legolas-" Aragorn began to protest, but Legolas cut him off. 

"Do not try to tell me it was nothing. I hurt you, unintentionally, but I did hurt you. I am so sorry."

"It is of no matter now, my friend." Aragorn assured.

"Perhaps, " He conceded "but I want to at least apologize for falling apart that night I was first infected with it." Legolas didn't like to say the name Bengwiil, for fear of the terrible memories. He sighed again, and let his gaze fix on Eärendil. "I am sorry I cried. I know how hard that was on you. But I-" his eyes roved over the heavens. "I *so* missed the stars."

Aragorn let his eyes fly over the blanket of stars as well. "I do not blame you." He looked over at Legolas again. "I must know. How *did* you make it last night?"

Legolas smiled and looked back at Aragorn. "You."

"Me?"

"Yes, you. I believe that I would have died…perhaps I even did, but I would not be here, except for you."

"Why?" Aragorn asked, dumb-founded.

"Because you are my friend." Legolas said softly. "It is easy to say 'I am your friend' but you lived it. When you sang to me all night, when you whispered to me and became a light in my nightmares, when you carried me through the tunnel, when you rode non-stop to Rivendell to save me, you were saying 'I am your friend.'" There was a pause as Legolas let his friend take it in.

"Then last night, I was almost dead. I was falling into shadow. And I heard you saying 'Friendship does not waver at a wind. And a friendship like ours lasts forever. Forever like an everlasting candle.'"

"You said that." Aragorn pointed out softly.

"Indeed." Legolas granted. "But you lived every word. And after all this; after all we've been through, I had to come back, Aragorn. I was not meant to leave alone in this world. We are too close, and have been through too much to end a friendship like this now. Not yet, Aragorn. We cannot be torn apart yet."

Aragorn shook his head slowly. "I had no idea. I only knew I wanted to save you- to- to help you. I thought I have failed."

"You did not fail." Legolas insisted gently. "And you did just you planned, and more than you know."

Legolas turned his eyes once more to the heavens. "Thank you, Estel." he whispered sincerely. "For you have saved my life in many ways."

Aragorn smiled. "You are welcome, my friend. I am only glad that we are together again. That the end we long dreaded did come, but did not claim us. That you are next to me breathing, and completely yourself."

There was silence between them a long moment. Aragorn felt there was something else. Something that needed to be said. Something to prove all that had happened over the last few days. Something that had been conveyed, but needed final acknowledgment. 

He turned in his saddle, and looked at the fair elf next to him.

"You will always be my friend, Legolas."

Legolas turned his head from the stars, and smiled over at the human outlined in the starlight.

"Iston."

The two rode once again into the darkness, but this time they carried hope with them. Suddenly, Aragorn heard Legolas whispering a soft tune. When he figured out what the elf was singing, he joined in the melody, smiling at the memories it bore.

"The Road goes ever on and on   
Down form the door where it began.   
Now far ahead the Road has gone,   
And I must follow, if I can,   
Pursuing it with weary feet,   
Until it joins some larger way   
Where many paths and errands meet.   
And whither then? I cannot say."

At that moment, the stars seemed to brake free of their beautiful melody, the mystery of their ethereal whispers, and joined the being bellow in their simple traveling song. As they repeated the tranquil music, it echoed over the heavens and became an mystical tune that filled the skies with melody.

But to the two friends riding off into the night, it was a song. A hope. A symbol of an everlasting friendship. And for once, not even the stars could not compare in beauty.

**__**

In Meth

//the end//

****

Namarie, nin maer mellons! Na-luuu layaa go-na nin bod-rim.

//Farewell, my good friends! Until we see each other again.// 

(: *sigh* :)


End file.
